Plumbers' chief suspended

Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board chief executive Phillip Routhan has been suspended on full pay during an investigation for potentially serious misconduct.

Mr Routhan and his legal representative, Chapman Tripp, have ordered by the Employment Relations Authority to return files and documents taken from the board, The Dominion Post reported.

The statutory board went to the authority asking for the return of papers, including personnel files relating to other board staff.

An interim authority ruling on September 18 said "it would be profoundly inequitable... to condone Mr Routhan's unauthorised removal of company property by acceding to his argument that their return would somehow disclose the nature of the legal advice he has sought and been provided".

Mr Routhan had told the authority the papers highlighted problems with the board, including gasfitting certification failures and substantial failures by board employees.

Board members had been trying to undermine him in his role since July last year, he said.

Mr Routhan was chairman of the board in 2006 when then-deputy prime minister Michael Cullen sacked the entire board following an internal review.

Mr Routhan was later elected registrar and chief executive of the board.

The board was established under the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act and its registration and licensing functions were totally funded by revenue from licence and gas certification fees.

- NZPA