31 Mar 2025
You've told us loud and clear: the current standards system in New Zealand isn't working as well as it should for engineers. Engineering New Zealand is committed to making sure your voice is heard and that tangible improvements happen in this crucial area.
Many of you have highlighted significant frustrations, such as:
- Outdated or missing standards in key areas where you need them most.
- The substantial cost and time required to participate in standards development.
- High costs associated with purchasing essential standards.
We understand these issues directly impact your work, especially given the infrastructure pressures facing New Zealand. With ongoing skill shortages and productivity challenges, better standards aren't just helpful – they're critical.
We're actively engaging with government officials to make sure these concerns are front and centre. Recently, we wrote directly to Minister Simpson after he took over responsibility for the standards portfolio – you can read our letter here. MBIE likes our idea of a workshop to hear direct from members on their ideas for change and we will be organising this soon with those who have already been corresponding with us on this issue.
Our advocacy is focused on:
- Ensuring sustainable funding for standards development that recognises their importance for public safety and infrastructure.
- Developing a clear, strategic approach to prioritise standards and address critical gaps.
- Improving affordability and accessibility to standards, making participation in the process simpler and more practical for engineers like you.
Better leveraging international standards could also reduce costs significantly, tapping into global expertise and investments. This approach would lessen the burden on our volunteer experts who generously contribute their time and knowledge.
Your experiences and ideas are invaluable in shaping our advocacy. If you have suggestions, specific standards that cause you headaches or regularly rely on international standards, reach out to us at advocacy@engineeringnz.org.
To keep informed about updates to relevant standards, we encourage subscribing to Standards New Zealand’s newsletters Touchstone and Building and Construction. Their "keep me up to date" subscription will help you track the standards most important to your practice.
