National’s deregulation of the building sector prepared the field for the multi-billion dollar leaky homes crisis. From which they have learnt – nothing. Govt won’t investigate weak steel
The government is downplaying the importation of hundreds of tonnes of weak Chinese steel is a one-off and it will not be investigating.
Testing has revealed steel tubes from China for use on four bridges along the Huntly section of the Waikato Expressway did not comply with standards for structural steel.
Two of the four bridges on the new $450 million Huntly Bypass have had to be reinforced with concrete, and the contractors have asked the distributer,Steel & Tube, for replacement tube piles for the two others.
Labour Party building and housing spokesperson Phil Twyford is calling for an urgent stocktake of steel imports, steel to ensure public safety, given the steel was being used on major construction projects.
New Zealand First transport spokesperson Denis O’Rourke questioned how the minister could be sure the weak steel was a one-off.
“That alone justifies a much wider investigation. If that steel was imported and was inadequate then it’s likely to have been used elsewhere as well. “
The agency was not asking which manufacturer the steel was from nor telling the contractors to use a different supplier or manufacturer.
Who will be to blame if untested, undetected, weak steel causes the collapse of a structure? I suggest the ministers of the current National government, starting with Simon Bridges.
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