A rotten shame

Hon Bill English - National Party Leader

Prime Minister Helen Clark clearly thinks anyone who owns a home is wealthy going by her dismissive attitude towards those people caught up in the leaky home crisis, says National Party Leader Bill English.

The Government today dismissed a motion by National that would have provided a solution by way of an amendment to the Construction Contracts Bill, which is currently in its second reading.

“By not granting leave so the amendment could go before Parliament the Prime Minister is turning her back on the thousands of heartbroken home owners facing financial ruin.

“ The Labour Government’s answer is to tell people to go to their lawyers, which is making an assumption that all homeowners can afford lawyers. Unlike Helen Clark not everyone can.

“Any mediation process the Government puts in place is going to be non- binding making the whole process a waste of time. National’s proposal for a Weathertightness Tribunal would have provided answers to who was liable and made this binding.

“What makes the Government”s reaction so bad is that they have known about the problem for well over a year and yet have done nothing.

“National has received 4000 thousand hits on the special website it established -www.leakyhomes.co.nz - which is an indication of the widespread concern that exists in the community.

“I intend to pursue this matter further as National, unlike the Government is not prepared to sit back and watch good hard working New Zealanders go to the wall. The Government have got this one badly wrong and they need to swallow their pride and admit it and admit Nationals idea of a solution is right, says Mr English.

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