Don Brash says the engineers who built the CTV building, which collapsed during the Christchurch earthquake, will have to live with the fatalities for the rest of their lives.
The comments, made this morning on TVNZ 1's Breakfast programme, come after police announced they would not be laying any charges over the 2011 collapse of the seven storey building, which killed 115 people.
The building collapsed quickly during the magnitude-6.3 earthquake, with fire also burning in the ruins.
The design of the building was found to be deficient in several ways by a Royal Commission.
Mr Brash said while there would not be formal charges, the engineers at Alan Reay Consultants would know exactly what happened.
The engineers concerned know that the building they designed collapsed, and they will live with that for the rest of their lives," he said.
Despite serious structural faults with the building, police say the length of time between construction and collapse means pressing charges is difficult. (Source: Other)
"They are already convicted in a sense - not in law, but..."
Mr Brash also said it was fortunate that police were even able to consider this without interference, and said he agrees with their decision.
"We're lucky in New Zealand, the police are normally totally immune from political influence or other kind of influences.
"They made a decision that prosecution wouldn't succeed, and I respect that judgement.
The building collapsed during the 2011 quake and today police said getting a conviction would be difficult. (Source: Other)
"Sometimes they get it wrong ... but by and large, the police, I think in New Zealand do get it right, and I think we should be grateful for that."
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