Inaction over leaks covered up, say MPs

By FRANCESCA MOLD

Opposition MPs yesterday accused the Building Industry Authority of trying to cover up its inaction over the leaky building crisis.

The Government-appointed authority came in for a grilling at a select committee hearing when MPs discovered that promises in a statement of intent did not measure up.

The document, prepared by the BIA, states it will carry out independent research to determine the nature and extent of the leaky building problem by March 31.

However, under questioning, chief executive Bill Porteous admitted that the actual work being undertaken was simply identifying gaps in research so the authority would know what studies the industry should carry out at a later date.

National MP Pansy Wong said the statement was "extremely misleading" at best.

Her colleague Wayne Mapp said the MPs on the committee were frustrated that months after an independent report identified a crisis that could cost up to $240 million in repairs, the officials were still only "thinking" about the problems.



But Dr Porteous said staff were hoping to use data from homeowners applying to use the Government's weathertightness resolution service to build up a picture of the problem. More research would be done once gaps in information were identified.

United Future MP Murray Smith turned his attention to the the performance of Dr Porteous throughout the crisis last year.

He asked BIA chairman Barry Brown whether the board had at least identified the deficiencies in the chief executive's performance. He pointed specifically to Dr Porteous' failure to immediately inform the board of concerns about leaks.

Mr Brown said he wanted to keep private any matters that could relate to disciplinary issues.

Mr Smith also questioned the accuracy of another statement in the BIA's report - that it "acknowledged the dedication of the authority staff, who continue to provide a superior level of professional expertise".

"I would put it to you that that is incorrect for this last year, particularly in terms of the chief executive's performance. At the moment all we're getting is a cover-up in terms of what I see as serious deficiencies."



Mr Brown replied: "I don't personally become part of cover-ups. As a board, we recognise the entity needs to lift its game across the board."

But Dr Mapp said the answers had not given MPs any certainty that the BIA and Dr Porteous were aware of the scale of the problem and had a coherent plan to deal with it.

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Herald feature: Leaky buildings

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