Nick Smith MP
National Party Building & Construction Spokesman

17 October 2008

Labour attempts cover up on hot water rules

National Party Building & Construction spokesman Nick Smith says Labour is attempting to cover up its embarrassing new nanny state hot water and shower rules by pulling the official announcement from its website.

"Soon after I issued a statement this morning, pointing out that hot water cylinder size limits and shower flow regulations had been announced in an official statement on April 27, the page disappeared from the Government's site.

"Visitors to that page now get a simple message - 'forbidden'.

"Labour is attempting to re-write history and cover its tracks. The Minister for Short Showers, Shane Jones, must explain."

Dr Smith says for those who are unable to access the official announcement of the hot water cylinder size restrictions and the shower flow rules, he is attaching it to this statement.

The statement says: 'From December 2008, all new domestic hot water systems in either new or refurbished homes will need to meet more stringent energy efficiency standards'.

"These standards include a range of restrictions dependent on house size, the use of new heating technologies, flow rates for shower heads, and the size of electric hot water cylinders.

"Mr Jones needs to tell New Zealanders whether this statement was wrong, or whether he was confused, or whether he's now trying to bury these unpopular changes until after the election."

ENDS

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