Media Release
19 September 2002

George's Claytons Inquiry

“The Government is playing politics and putting New Zealanders’ life savings at risk over the ‘leaky‘ building syndrome,” New Zealand First M.P. Brent Catchpole said today.

Mr Catchpole was commenting on George Hawkins’ belated decision to hold an inquiry into the problems caused by leaking buildings.

“Mr Hawkins has been embarrassed by our calls for an inquiry and has referred it to the Labour-dominated two-party Government Administration select committee where the Government will seek to control the issue.

“Given the importance of the issue and the widespread nature of the problem, this should be an independent inquiry, or at least should be conducted by a select committee with full representation.

“The Government Administration committee as it is presently constituted cannot do justice to this task,” Mr Catchpole said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On Yesterday’s Big Parliamentary Air Kiss To China

In order to obtain support from the two major parties, Act Party deputy leader Brooke Van Velden twice had to soften the language of her parliamentary motion yesterday condemning China’s persecution of the Uighurs. The key word “genocide” was deleted. Evidently, the kind of resolution passed by a conservative government in the UK proved to be far too tough for a centre-left Labour government and a centre-right National opposition to countenance. Yesterday, the two major parties were united in their fear of retribution from China... More>>