Click here for up-to-date earthquake information.

There are significant changes to the way earthquake-prone buildings are identified and managed under the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Act 2016.

Some of these changes will be confirmed once the Government has approved regulations and a methodology to identify earthquake-prone buildings which, collectively, will support the implementation of the new system.

Visit the following Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website section:
How the system will work

The website covers these topics: identifying potentially earthquake-prone buildings, priority buildings, assessing potentially earthquake-prone buildings, deciding if a building is earthquake prone, and managing (extensions for action, exemptions from action, triggers for early action, and Territorial powers where no action is taken).

Heritage buildings
Simon Tonkin, the Invercargill City Council Development Liaison Manager, notes that owners of heritage buildings may be able to get financial assistance from the Government for strengthening work. The heritageequip.govt.nz website has eligibility guidelines.