A policy of murder

Unreinforced masonry buildings killed 40 people in the Christchurch earthquakes, and as a result owners were required to fix their deathtraps. Except they didn't. Instead, they whined and dragged their feet and asked for more time and more time and more time - and now, National is letting them off the hook:

The government says a new "risk-based" approach to earthquake strengthening will save building owners more than $8.2 billion across New Zealand, and reduce risk from derelict empty buildings.

The Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk said the current 'New Building Standard' used by engineers was too broad and inconsistent and would be scrapped.

[...]

Replacement standards, called the Earthquake Prone Building system, will mean unreinforced masonry buildings with unsecured facades and walls facing public areas or above neighbouring properties will be deemed earthquake prone.

However, those under three storeys and in towns with under 10,000 people would no longer need strengthening, remediation or warning notices - and could be removed from the earthquake-prone register after having the facade secured.

So, provincial New Zealand will be allowed to keep using its deathtrap buildings, and people will almost certainly die as a result. And when they do, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk will have murdered them. It is that simple. They have decided to put rich people's money ahead of human lives, and that is simply murder.