Hon Dr Nick Smith
National Party Building & Construction Spokesman

10 August 2005

Builders & homeowners need answers on T1.2 timber

Thousands of builders and homeowners need answers from Labour about it’s accreditation of the surface treated T1.2 timber, says National’s Building and Construction spokesman, Nick Smith, who raised concerns about the product a month ago.

“Chris Carter and his department have had a month to make a decision but are acting like a possum caught in headlights,”says Dr Smith.

“The Minister should come clean, accept his Government screwed up when they approved this sub-standard product and withdraw its approval. Industry sources have advised me that Labour is reluctant to admit it erred because of the possible legal consequences.

“There also needs to be an independent enquiry into how the department, after all the furore over leaky and rotten homes, could approve a product that did not meet the recently updated New Zealand standard for timber treatment.

“It might be politically convenient for Labour to try to sweep this serious issue under the carpet, but the industry needs an answer now.

“There are thousands of homes half built using this timber and builders and homeowners all over New Zealand awaiting a decision from the Minister. Every day’s delay is costing tens of thousands of dollars.

“Homeowners, councils, builders and the industry need leadership and not this ongoing fumbling from Labour and Chris Carter,” says Dr Smith.

ENDS

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