Calling Hawkins - come home and sort leaky homes disaster

Wayne Mapp - National Housing Spokesperson

Housing Minister George Hawkins should have stayed at home and put his energies into the leaky homes crisis instead of attending a conference in Australia, says National Housing spokesperson Wayne Mapp.

“Nothing is more important for the Minister right now than this disaster, but his only comments have been that homeowners should take their cases to court.

“He’s been in Australia when he should have been here talking to the
Building Industry Authority about getting some changes in place to address
this issue. The Minister should come home and get on with the job of helping these people find solutions.

National is proposing a Weathertightness Tribunal chaired by a District Court
Judge as a practical way to help homeowners suffering losses from leaky homes. The Tribunal would be set up through the Construction Contracts Bill

2001, which is before Parliament and awaiting its second reading.

“The Building Industry Association, BRANZ and the industry also need to address the Building Code. People are building houses right now that do not have ventilation and are not adequately weather sealed. They are sitting ducks for leaky home syndrome within months of completion,” Dr Mapp said.

National is holding a public meeting in Christchurch on Sunday for leaky home owners to talk about the issue, hear experts in various related fields and discuss solutions. It is at 2.30pm in the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church Hall, corner of Oxford Terrace and Madras Street next to the fire station.

© Scoop Media