Hawkins told of rot by late 2001

By FRANCESCA MOLD political reporter

The Government is under more pressure to remove George Hawkins from the Internal Affairs portfolio after it was revealed that a letter warning about leaky buildings was sent to him seven months before he claims to have known about the crisis.

The Opposition turned up the heat yesterday by producing a letter from HiTex Plastering, dated August 9 last year, which warned Mr Hawkins that recent publicity about dry rot had caused considerable decline in sales and consumer confidence.

Mr Hawkins has said he was not "formally informed" of the leaky building problem until April 30 this year. But National leader Bill English has accused him of deceiving New Zealanders and being involved in a cover-up.

Mr English yesterday pointed to the HiTex letter as further evidence that the minister should be sacked.

But the Weekend Herald understands that there is no immediate threat to Mr Hawkins' position.

Senior ministers feel he has been badly let down by the Building Industry Authority because it failed to alert him to the potential crisis earlier.

It is expected heads at the authority will roll soon as the result of the Government's exasperation and desire to hold someone responsible.

The HiTex letter, raised by National yesterday, said the building industry was bracing itself for the next round of disastrous press publicity over dry rot, followed by litigation. It suggested that early action by the Government would limit the consequences.

The letter was initially sent to Housing Minister Mark Gosche but was forwarded to Mr Hawkins, who replied on September 7 last year.

His response said a steering committee was looking at weathertightness issues and the concerns raised by HiTex would be addressed by that group.

Mr English said the HiTex letter meant it was totally implausible for Mr Hawkins to claim he was unaware of the problem until April this year.

The minister had also received a letter from building surveying firm Prendos in July last year, warning that the problem could cost $2 billion.

Mr English said there had also been dozens of articles on the rotting homes issue in the Herald before April 30. It was beyond belief that Mr Hawkins had not noticed them.

"If George Hawkins did not know and is telling the truth, then that is outrageous incompetence because the message was loud and clear, day after day after day for months on end in the media."

Mr Hawkins said the letter from HiTex was forwarded to the authority for consideration after it was received in his office. The response was prepared by the authority and signed by him.

He said that at no time did the correspondence talk about thousands of homeowners in crisis.

His officials had apologised for failing to advise him of the full extent of the problem until April.

Mr Hawkins said he relied on his paid officials to raise concerns with him, not the media.

He has previously said that he had received a letter and had seen newspaper coverage.

"But one would expect that if there was a problem, the people set up to deal with that would inform their minister.

"They did not."

It was deplorable that the authority had not told him about the potential crisis until April.

"I think that ... I have been poorly served, the Government has been poorly served over this. I have taken the matter up directly with the chair of the BIA."

Mr Hawkins received a letter from the authority on Thursday night, explaining its handling of the leaky buildings affair. The Government is getting legal advice on the letter and ministers will discuss it before any action.

Authority chief executive Bill Porteous has said the BIA did not inform Mr Hawkins earlier because it did not have enough information to say anything substantive.

He told National Radio yesterday that he freely admitted that, with the benefit of hindsight, it would have been better to have told the minister earlier.

* If you have information about leaking buildings,
email the Herald or fax (09) 373-6421.

Herald feature: Leaky buildings

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