PHOTO: A high-level task force is being established, and Woods is asking Fletcher Building to stop threatening legal action over the use of trademarked plasterboard names. ITM
The Government is stepping in over the GIB crisis, 1News can reveal.
Building Minister Megan Woods has been holding crisis meetings in recent weeks as builders continue to struggle to access plasterboard products.
A high level task force is being set up to deal with ways to fix the shortage.
It’ll give advice to those struggling to get alternative plasterboard products and troubleshoot any issues.
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And an urgent letter has been sent by Woods to Fletcher Building, who has been in the spotlight over the issue. The company owns 94% of the plasterboard market, through GIB.
It also has trademarks over the name of certain plasterboard products, such as the word “blue”. Woods has asked them to urgently stop threatening legal action over the use of those terms, and asked them to publicly commit to that move.
On Monday, the Shareholders Association and Simplicity NZ called for Fletcher board chairman Bruce Hassall to resign and an external review to be held into the company’s risk processes and culture.
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