Evidence mounts against Hawkins

The National Party’s released more documents that it says adds weight to its claim that Internal Affairs George Hawkins knew about the leaky homes crisis before April this year.

“I believe he misled Parliament and the public when he said he knew nothing about it before April this year,” says National Party leader Bill English.

“That claim on his part is totally implausible.

“His local newspaper, The New Zealand Herald, had published more than 150 stories on the leaky homes crisis between April last year and April this year.

“It’s something that would almost certainly be affecting his constituents even if he has no concern about it as a Minister.

“He claimed he knew nothing of the special committee set up to investigate the crisis - that information was printed in newspapers during March.

“If George Hawkins did not know, if he is telling the truth, then that is total incompetence, either way he should be sacked,” says Mr English.

“Today, we’re releasing yet another letter from his office dated September last year, and signed by Mr Hawkins, showing he knew about the crisis.

“We’re also releasing an early draft of that letter showing much more detail about the problem.

“Yet still he says he knew nothing about this crisis.

“We’re seeing a pattern of dishonesty around this issue and I say his claims are absolutely ridiculous.

“Mr Hawkins’ position is no longer tenable

“The Government has lost confidence in him so what sort of confidence can homeowners have in this man?

“If Helen Clark took homeowners’ problems seriously, George Hawkins would be gone by now,” Mr English says.

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