A WORD FROM OUR NEW CHAIR

Greetings from the newly elected Chair of the Association.

Wow, what a conference we delivered.  So many people reached out at the end of the conference and days following saying this was the best conference they have been to - with special praise directed at the quality of speakers, diversity and complimentary subject matter experts, to the venue itself, and overall feel of inclusiveness of the event.

These comments are extremely humbling as a lot of people have worked incredibly hard over the past 11 months to make this happen (Rachael, Kim, Trent, Warwick, Ngok, Jess, and myself) - and a big thank you to all delegates, sponsors, exhibitors who attended to make this a success.

Planning is already well underway for Conference 2027 - Compliance Excellence through Education for Safer Buildings in Lower Hutt, Wellington - so if you want to be a speaker or sponsor reach out now, as we will gladly lock you in.

This year saw the retirement of our long term Treasurer and Association member, Gale Ward, and we wish her well.  Along with this Laura Williams has stepped back after 20+ years to focus on her business interests - but has promised to be back, so we will hold her to this.

These movements alongside other time-based Committee re-election requirements resulted in 4 positions being available, and for the first time in a very long time, 6 applicants.  This was rather new and uncharted territory for most of us, having more people than positions, but a vote was taken and you - our members decided.  Thank you all who put their name forward and congratulations to all who were successful.

So your Management Committee for 2026-2027 met last week and elected a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary, as noted below:

    Lyall Senior - Chair

    Nick Crowe - Vice Chair

    Lindsey Matthias - Treasurer 

    Darrell Nichol - Secretary 

    Ngok Ung - Secretary back up if needed

    Michael Belsham 

    Steve Bailey

    Warwick Taylor

We are committed to actively promoting the Association's stated objectives; and not quite sure how I managed to become Chair, but will do my best to fulfil my obligations diligently with a little bit of humour thrown in.  Fortunately I will not be left struggling too much, as Laura will be assisting the Committee in the role of immediate past Chair, providing guidance as needed.

I've mentioned previously that some internal reviews were taking place, and we will be continuing reviewing what we do, how we do it, do we still need to do it, and can we do it better to ensure we are putting effort into the right things at the right time, and more about this in future monthly newsletters.

We move straight back into Forums and trainings in August, and will leave Trent to provide more detail re this.

So hello everyone, and I offer my email lyall@abciqp.org.nz as a means to communicate directly if you need to contact me.  I'm excited, and slightly daunted by what lies ahead, but comforted to know that we have an awesome team working for you - our members.

    Kind regards,

    Lyall Senior – Chair, Association of Building Compliance

AN UPDATE FROM OUR CEO

Kia ora koutou katoa, 

Firstly, I would like to thank all those people who attended our conference, the delegates, the exhibitors, sponsors and partners. Without you all contributing it would not have been the success that it was. I would also like to give a special mention to our speakers. It is their willingness to share their knowledge, expertise and experience that truly makes our conference such a success. It can be daunting to stand up on stage in front of your peers and share your knowledge and expertise, so I thank you for doing that.

I personally found that every speaker offered something valuable to take away, and I came away with some great insights, especially around the determination process. A special thank you to Elizabeth Sieverts, our keynote speaker, for making the trip to NZ to join us and share her experience of working at Sydney airport. What Elizabeth and her team manage is fascinating, particularly the challenge of balancing major renovations while keeping the airport operating. It was a great insight into the complexities of managing compliance and operations within such a large and constantly evolving environment.

We are now in the early planning stages for next year's conference in Wellington. I would like to encourage you to put your hand up to speak at our conference and share your knowledge and experience with our members. I have spoken at many conferences, and it is a rewarding experience. Please reach out to me if you are interested and I can walk you through the process and assist you if needed in developing your presentation.

I have been busy myself with the roll out of the industry-led school subjects. As an Association we are focused on trying to not only educating and supporting our current IQP's but also the next generation. These new subjects will hopefully attract more students into vocational education which will lead on to opportunities in the Compliance field. We now have a developed educational pathway for students to become IQP's, BWOF Agents and BWOF Auditors. I look forward to promoting our industry to high school students in the coming years.

The Association has also become a member of the NZ Construction Industry Council. This is a powerful lobby group which pushes for changes and updates to legislation and policies. I attended my first NZCIC event last week which was a cross-party political debate on the construction industry and how each party intends to tackle the challenges ahead. I then listened to a very good presentation from Dave Gittings, Manager Building Performance and Engineering at MBIE, on the Building Code review and potential changes. The members of NZCIC come from a wide range of areas and hopefully we will be able to leverage some support from them in our quest to get a national IQP register.

We have a great line up of speakers at our August forums around the country. I encourage you to come along, support our speakers and the topics they are presenting, and take part in the valuable discussions that take place during and after the Forums. Please follow the link in the Forums section of our newsletter below to up for either in person or online. 

Lastly, I would like to welcome Michael Belsham to the Committee. He is a very experienced fire engineer and tutor for the Diploma of Fire Engineering. Michael offers a different perspective, and I am sure it will be welcomed by the other Committee members. Congratulations also to Steve, Ngok and Darrell on being re-elected. I believe this was the first time in a long-time that we had an election, so it is great to see people putting their hands up and wanting to support our industry.

I would also like to say thank you to Gale, who has now retired, for her support of the Association from its inception and to Laura, who has stepped down for now from the Committee. Their knowledge, experience and leadership will be deeply missed. 

I hope to see you at our forums soon.

Noho ora mai,

Trent Fearnley

That’s a wrap on the 2026 ABC Conference!

What a fantastic few days in Christchurch! Our 2026 Conference, Building Confidence Through Competency, was a great success, bringing together 220+ delegates from across the building compliance industry for two days of learning, connection and plenty of conversation.

We were thrilled with the calibre of our speaker line-up, with presentations and discussions covering a wide range of topics relevant to our industry and the challenges facing building compliance professionals today. A huge thank you to all of our speakers for sharing their knowledge, experience and insights with us.

The conference wasn’t all about learning, though! Our Boots ’n’ All Gala Dinner was a fantastic evening, with the presentation of the Future Skills Award, live music from Mirrors, and some great (and very creative!) best-dressed entries.  And let’s not forget our newly acquired skills in line dancing! We certainly put the “boots” into our Boots ’n’ All evening and had plenty of fun giving it a go!

We’d also like to extend a huge thank you to our sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, workshop presenters and everyone who attended. Your support and involvement helped make this year’s conference such a success.

It was great to see so many members, industry colleagues and new faces together, and we’re already looking forward to bringing everyone together again for ABC Conference 2027 in Wellington!

Thank you for making 2026 one to remember!

A big thank you to everyone who attended our AGM during the conference. Holding the AGM mid-conference was a great success, allowing us to combine business with the opportunity to connect with members in person.  A special thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for our Committee members.

Welcome back to our incumbent Committee members, and a special hello to our newly elected member, Michael Belsham. We look forward to drawing on Michael’s experience and expertise as part of the Committee.

Next round of Forums begin this week - please ensure you register your attendance in advance - registrations for 2026 are open year-round - *please note new venues for Auckland and Christchurch*

These sessions are designed to encourage open discussion, strengthen connections between IQPs, councils, and industry stakeholders, and promote greater consistency and understanding across regions. 

All Forums are free to attend (CPD points and certificates for ABC members)

Click here  to secure your spot and stay connected throughout the year! 

If there is a particular topic you’d like us to cover in future sessions—or if you would like to speak at a forum—please let us know.

GAIN AN NZQA ACCREDITED QUALIFICATION THAT IS UNIQUE, RELEVANT, AND INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC.

Designed for professionals including IQPs and council compliance staff, the programme covers the Building Act, Building Code, compliance schedules, specified systems, BWOF requirements and Fire and Emergency New Zealand requirements.

The 22-week part-time programme is delivered through weekly online evening tutorials, online workshops and a two-day face-to-face workshop, making it possible to study while you work.

Promotional fee: $1,500 per student for the August, September and November 2026 intakes (standard 2027 fee $4,160). Group pricing of $1,000 per student is also available for groups of five or more from the same council/company.

For more information on this promo view this brochure or contact Helen: helen.hegley@futureskills.co.nz

See the Future Skills website for more information Certificate in Building Compliance (Level 4) - Future Skills 

Fire Engineering with Future Skills

Future Skills will be delivering new qualifications in fire engineering. They will be starting in early in the New Year with the first being the Diploma in Fire Engineering. They will also be delivering Micro-credentials in Fire Engineering, starting with Building Means of Escape (Level 6). 

Micro-credentials are small, stand-alone awards that recognize specific skills and knowledge. They are designed to meet the needs of learners, employers, and industries, and are part of the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).

Want to more of what's happening in this space, read our new article here.

A message from a Lecturer

Building Compliance Level 4 – Investing in the Future of Our Industry

As both a Future Skills lecturer and an ABC Committee member, I am encouraged by the growing interest in the New Zealand Certificate in Building Compliance (Level 4). This nationally recognised qualification has been developed to strengthen knowledge, consistency and professional capability across the building compliance sector. Whether you are an IQP, work within a BWOF management company, or are part of a territorial authority, this programme provides practical skills that can be applied immediately in the workplace.

The course is built around the real challenges faced by our industry, covering legislation, compliance schedules, specified systems, documentation, professional judgement and stakeholder responsibilities. By developing a common understanding of New Zealand's building compliance framework, participants are better equipped to make informed decisions, improve compliance outcomes and work collaboratively with owners, councils, IQPs and service providers.

For those seeking to become Independently Qualified Persons (IQPs), the Level 4 qualification provides valuable evidence of industry knowledge and professional development that can support applications for registration with many IQP registers. It also assists existing IQPs by demonstrating an ongoing commitment to maintaining and enhancing professional competency, making it a valuable addition when renewing membership with IQP registers that recognise continuing professional development.

With increasing expectations around competency and consistency across the building compliance sector, there has never been a better time to invest in recognised professional qualifications that benefit individuals, organisations and the wider industry. I look forward to welcoming more professionals into the programme and supporting the continued growth of capability across New Zealand's building compliance sector.

      Together, we can continue raising the standard of building compliance across New Zealand.
      Steve Bailey
      Future Skills Lecturer | ABC Committee Member

 Upcoming Training Workshops - Register NOW!

Don’t miss this opportunity to boost your professional development - register today!  

AUCKLAND

Friday 4 & 11 September - IQP Backflow Prevention Course with Unit Standards - 2x Full-day workshop

Friday 11 September - SS7 Automatic Backflow Preventers - Refresher Theory and Practical - Full-day workshop

CHRISTCHURCH

Friday 11 September - Means of Escape to a Final Exit - Half-day workshop

Friday 11 September - Emergency Lighting SS4 - Half-day workshop

Friday 11 September - Means of Escape to a Final Exit and Emergency Lighting - Full-day workshop -15% discount when registering for full-day

Wednesday 23 September - Automatic Fire Alarm Systems SS2 - Half-day workshop

Wednesday 23 September - Smoke Control for Compliance SS13.1, SS13.2, and SS13.3  - Half-day workshop 

Wednesday 23 September - Automatic Fire Alarm Systems SS2 and Smoke Control for Compliance SS13.1, SS13.2, and SS13.3 - Full-day workshop -15% discount when registering for full-day

ONLINE

Tuesday 8 September - BWOF Fundamentals - Half-day workshop

Tuesday 8 September - Owners Compliance Checks - Half-day workshop

Tuesday 8 September - BWOF Fundamentals and Owners Compliance Checks - Full-day workshop - 15% discount when registering for full-day

Friday 11 September - Means of Escape to a Final Exit - Half-day workshop

Friday 11 September - Emergency Lighting SS4 - Half-day workshop

Friday 11 September - Means of Escape to a Final Exit and Emergency Lighting - Full-day workshop -15% discount when registering for full-day

Friday 6 November - Understanding a Fire Engineering Design Report - Full-day workshop

To view the full list of our courses (including cost and times) click here:  Workshops/Seminars » Association of Building Compliance (abciqp.org.nz)

 If you have any queries regarding the above workshops or require further assistance please email us - admin@abciqp.org.nz  

We are delighted to welcome our new members to the Association.  Additions to our community are exciting, and we look forward to both sharing our expertise and learning from your experiences.  We are committed to continuous improvement and development, and we believe that together, we can achieve great strides in building compliance excellence.

We are pleased to confirm that we have rolled out an ABC member specific Professional Indemnity, Public Liability and Statutory Liability scheme.

The policy cover and wordings have been designed and drafted specifically for ABC members to address the specific risks that IQP’s have. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION