Take charge George!

Internal Affairs Minister George Hawkins has been so slow in responding to the rotting homes disaster that the public will be confused by conflicting statements from the industry on how to prevent the problem, says National Housing Spokesperson Dr Wayne Mapp.

“Cladding manufacturers and timber suppliers are seemingly at odds over what products are responsible for rotting homes,” says Dr Mapp.

External cladding manufacturers have issued a notice requiring that from November 1 only treated exterior framing can be used in homes where their products are used. Timber suppliers are advertising that untreated timber is not behind leaky building problems.

“The Minister and the Building Industry Authority have not taken any action, so the industry is now left to make decisions that reflect their particular concerns. The result is that the public will be confused.

“The Building Code needs to be changed to stop the building of more rotting homes. That change lies at the door of George Hawkins but instead he is standing by and allowing the public to become confused.

“It took the Government a month to accept National’s dispute resolution process. How long are homeowners going to have to wait for the Government to realise that action is needed over the use of untreated timber and in vulnerable timber framing?

“George Hawkins continues to play down this large-scale problem which means there is no accountability on the BIA or the Government to sort it out.

“Now the Government is vulnerable with some of its own Housing New Zealand units leaking. The Housing and Internal Affairs Ministers must answer who will pay for these repairs. It is clear the taxpayer will be stumping up for Government and BIA inaction over rotting homes,” Dr Mapp said.

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