38,000 More Aussie Plumbing and Drainage Products Cleared for NZ Use

The reform is aimed at increasing competition in the building materials market — an area long criticised for limited product choice and high costs.

Thousands of plumbing and drainage products widely used in Australia can now be used in New Zealand without additional compliance hurdles, after the Government approved a second large tranche of overseas-certified building materials.

Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk announced that 54 new recognition notices have been issued by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), covering approximately 38,274 products certified under Australia’s WaterMark scheme.

The move follows a first round of approvals in October that enabled more than 90,000 WaterMark-approved products — including tapware, water service products, sanitary fittings and stormwater drainage systems — to enter the New Zealand market more easily.

Major Reduction in Building Red Tape

Previously, even if products were widely used and certified in Australia, Kiwi builders and designers had to individually prove compliance with New Zealand’s Building Code when applying for building consent.

Under changes made through the Overseas Building Products Amendment Bill, MBIE can now recognise entire categories of products certified under comparable overseas schemes — allowing tens of thousands of products to be accepted at once.

“The granting of these recognition notices means Building Consent Authorities must accept the products as compliant,” Mr Penk said.

That removes case-by-case approvals, cutting delays and compliance costs for builders, developers and homeowners.

Boosting Competition and Supply Resilience

The reform is aimed at increasing competition in the building materials market — an area long criticised for limited product choice and high costs.

By opening the market to more than 128,000 WaterMark-certified products across both tranches, the Government expects:

• Greater product availability

• Reduced supply bottlenecks

• Increased market competition

• Downward pressure on material prices

“Supply chain shocks and shortages choke building productivity,” Mr Penk said.“Better access and greater choice provide industry with more resilience and increases market competition.”

The WaterMark scheme is Australia’s mandatory certification system for plumbing and drainage products, ensuring safety, durability and performance standards comparable to New Zealand’s regulatory requirements.

Supporting Housing Affordability

The Government says reducing barriers to trusted overseas products will help accelerate housing construction and infrastructure projects by lowering material costs and speeding up consent processes.

The changes are part of a broader push to improve building productivity and address housing affordability challenges.

“This is about making it easier and more affordable to deliver the homes and public buildings that will ease house prices and lift living standards,” Mr Penk said.

More Products Under Review

MBIE is continuing to assess additional overseas-certified building products under the amended law. Future recognition rounds are expected to include essential materials such as:

• Plasterboard

• Cladding systems

• Windows

• Doors

Industry groups have previously identified plasterboard and cladding supply constraints as key contributors to construction delays.

The Government says the reform represents a structural shift in how New Zealand recognises trusted overseas building products — moving from one-off approvals to system-wide recognition designed to increase efficiency and market depth.