The building industry is struggling to get supplies out of Auckland and could be in pain if Auckland remains in lockdown for more than another two weeks, a construction industry leader says.
The Building Industry Federation, which represents building material suppliers, says the Government has decided not to issues exemptions to allow most building materials past Auckland’s border. This has raised fears that construction sites coming out of Level 4 lockdown in the rest of the country might grind to a halt if they can’t get necessary materials like steel mesh or plaster-board.
Dean Kimpton, chairman of the Construction Sector Accord, confirmed the industry had raised the issue, but the Government had decided to put public health first. “Yes, there is concern. The issue is that Auckland is a point of entry for imports and it’s a manufacturing centre for a number of construction materials, particularly the residential sector. If Auckland remains at Alert Level 4 for longer than another two weeks, then yes, I think it will become increasingly critical.”
