Coromandel MP Scott Simpson is describing the decision to exempt farm buildings from earthquake assessments as 'common sense”.

Scott says as a rule, farm buildings are not places where people spend long periods of time.

Farm buildings have been made exempt from the Government's earthquake-prone buildings policy.

'We're talking about buildings that are shearing sheds, hay sheds, or milking sheds.”

Scott says it's hugely important that buildings comply with safety codes if they're likely to endanger public safety in an earthquake.

'However, it's unreasonable to expect our farmers to pay for each and every one of their buildings to be assessed under the Government's earthquake-prone buildings policy.

Scott says the cost of the assessment would have been $3000 per farmer, on average.

'Common sense has prevailed here over excessive compliance.”