This is an open letter to all, I welcome feed back. But mostly I would like an answer from the Plumber’s Journal, Fiona Gravel, Ali Spencer and other Master Plumber’s, please not a blanket reply but one from each expressing their own view and not that of others and the party line. I am in total agreement with Chris Sumich, on page 41 of the same issue Plumbers Journal and am appealing to my fellow members. In light of this, please can you consider my email.

 

My wife and kids live in a caravan whilst I have been forced to work away. Our family home has been sold and now my family are existing on what was once an investment property which is uninhabitable and I lack the funds to renovate aswell as fight this. I was mortgage free, owned all my tools and van out right; we had no debt other than your normal bills.

 

I had tried to warn about Darnley since 2003, the explosion was 2009. Darnley got his ticket after one oral exam (no trade apprenticeship served what so ever) the oral exam was held by Tony Hammond, who was later appointed by the Board to investigate as the “impartial” investigator, even allowed to continue as such after being highlighted at an “impartiality” hearing, with photographs showing Darnley, Hammond and Board members all together at the NZIGE seminars of 2005 2006, the very time that I was trying to complain about Darnley. Three years before someone was nearly killed. Darnley had already retired and basically got away with a $10 000 fine.

 

On what basis did the Plumbers Journal run the story? Why do I have the most written about me when I was 95% innocent and Darnley was 100% guilty? This I find is a huge coincidence given that I had just asked to run my own version of events (see email below) and quite “cockeyed” to run this version instead, in light of this request. What proof did the Plumber’s Journal have and/or what research did they do. I wasn’t contacted, even though I had previously offered. I would like to know what research the Plumber’s Journal did on finding out about the basis for the “mere plumber” comment, I have gone over the extensive evidence and lengthy transcript from my hearing and I cannot locate any reference that I referred to myself as such, at any time. It is not a view I hold about my self or any other Plumber. We are, in my opinion, integral to civilisation (and I do not make that comment lightly). We are also a huge part of the infrastructure and work force that will be pulled in to rebuild CHCH, (that’s if we can afford to go to work with all the imposed costs).

 

I want a right of reply and the opportunity to write the actual events from my own perspective. What parameters and instructions were you given Ali Spencer??  It is an ill informed and biased article.

 

Even though I have had no penalty served, the article has over twice the amount of content about me and not the other two people combined.
The 5th paragraph about my case gives the impression that there were extra jobs to those that where not established, when they “were” the actual jobs and not “other properties”.
The offending appliances were FRYERS not FIRES, this shows how uninformed and reflects the lack of research and due consideration. Perhaps it was rushed through to make the issue??.
Published before my penalty was even published and my right of appeal, which I am going through with regardless.
 

If justice is done and I am found innocent on appeal I will demand a full retraction and apology in the Journal and I will consider legal action, both personally and collectively.

 

The “mere plumber” comment I believe reflects the attitude and feelings toward plumbers by the person/persons who published and allowed it, and not mine. I believe it was Kern Uren, authorised by Max Pederson the registrar and CEO of the Board. I feel for the new Board as they are kept in the dark and wonder how they can make a good decision when all the facts are unknown to them, I would meet with any of them and tell them all I know, with no preconceptions and with every well-meaning intent.

 

I will publish all parts of anything that these people can come up with (SHOWN IN ITS FULL CONTEXT), whether it shows that I did or didn’t say it. I will put my hand up if I am proved wrong.

Please see blow the answer I received from the board on request for the “MERE PLUMBER” comment, as it was made within “quotation” marks, it means that I said it but I did not and when you read the actual text from the transcript, IN CONTEXT, it becomes apparent that I did not.

“I understood that the phrase was not so much attributable to Mr Gee but rather an encapsulation of comments made by Mr Gee at the hearing (such as those at pages 353, 359, 396, & 404 of the transcript).” as per Mel, solicitor for the Board. I have utilised quotation marks as it is a quote. See attached the corresponding segment of transcript of the hearing (May 5) and make of it what you will and all the withheld evidence etc, and perhaps consider your self in the same boat (a boat on rough seas for over 2 years), remember I am on the stand after years of pressure being cross examined by a very experienced lawyer, and with my strong Welsh accent hard for the stenographer to replicate.

Page 353, I say “I mean I am a plumber”, this context is in relation to the protocol of a complaint, how it is worded and how you carry one out, not anything to do with my opinion of myself as a plumber or my knowledge of the trade.

Page 359, I say “I’m just a fitter mate”, this context is in relation to the way I was employed, my role as I was utilised by Allgas. I was just the fitter, not the planner, designer or manager, I was there to do as I was told.

Page396, I say “I’m a bloody plumber”, this context is when the Lawyer is playing on semantics on how I speak, and I am trying to show I am a practical person that works with my hands not my mouth.

Page 404, I say “I was more like the donkey work guy”, again talking about how I was utilised by Allgas, not my perception of my trade, myself or fellow colleagues.

These comments and how the Board have used them, reflects more on them than on me I believe. I am not a” mere “plumber and never said I was. I am a practical person. If it wasn’t for people like me and other plumber’s these fancy speaking lawyers couldn’t even go poo’s with out us.

I’ll say it again I am not a man of fancy words, but a practical man who takes his trade and job seriously and carries it out to the best of my ability, as I am sure most of the people reading this do and try their hardest to be.   

 

I have offered many times to put my side of the story forward, even going on TV. I even told my story to the Plumbers Journal in an issue that predates the explosion, the story up to the date of my first appearance in the Plumber’s Journal, but was told “I can’t use any of that”, this was way before the explosion. I also told senior members the situation before the explosion that nearly killed someone.

 

I am a past Nelson Association president and a fully paid up Master Plumbers member of 7 years, I believe that this goes to show the potential treatment if anyone of us LOWER members fall out of favour with the “big boys” as it stands today, and now is the time to make a change. I also believe that bullies are better sent packing with a bloody nose and a dent in their egos too. It is only behind closed doors that these types of people can exist, because in the full light of day their motives are shown for what they are and can’t withstand scrutiny. I am not a back stabber or back room dealer, I believe in being up front, out in the open with principles, which is what got me into this in the first place, but right is right regardless.

 

I would also like this email tabled at all associations, and ask for a discussion to be initialised and then put to a vote on the integrity and confidence in some of the present Master Plumber hierarchy and their conduct and motives, some I am sure are honest and straight up, but others I know to be otherwise, this is an opportunity to cleanse before the public inquiry that I will push for. I am passionate about the Master Plumbers and the trade. Hand on heart I hope that this email is taken in the vein it is intended and causes no undue upset to those that don’t deserve it, if I fail in this then I most humbly apologise in advance to those undeserving members.

 

I contacted the Master Plumbers for help/advice on 13/1/11, nearly four months before my hearing, which was forwarded to Fiona the same day. As I had received no reply, I then contacted Fiona again personally and privately for help on the 22/1/11, but she declined in her reply 2/2/11. Below is the latest email I sent, just before the latest public slating in front of the whole trade.

 

The P G D Federation, have helped me to clear my name. Fiona Graviel’s warning “to be wary of people’s motives” in others helping me is frankly more of a reflection on her motives for not helping me. I have included Wal Gordon’s email address in case any one finds them selves up against the wall with no help, the Federation and Wal have been my rock since meeting them and I urge all to join; you can be members of both and it costs nothing and it is treated in confidence if requested, perhaps you could contact Wal and the federation for another perspective also.   wal.gordon@xtra.co.nz.   Sorry Wal for putting you out there after all that you have done so far, not just for me but the industry as a whole, but like it or not you’re the best man for the job.

 

 

From: Paul & Emma Gee <gasnsolarservices@gmail.com>
Date: 28 October 2011 12:40
Subject: Article in Plumber's Journal
To: fiona@masterplumbers.org.nz


Hi Fiona, Please can you let me know how I go about putting an article in the Plumber's Journal, I think my situation is very relevant to our industry and intend to share it with as many colleagues as possible, please can you advise who I get in touch with??
--

Gas, Solar & Plumbing Services Ltd

PO Box 249

Takaka

7142

Ph 03 525 9889 / 0274 33 33 50

 

Please note the date and the format in the Journal, as a one page article, it could easily be added. If not and it was already printed, then I can make the next issue no worries, I’ll wait to hear from you.

 

I will answer any questions to the best of my ability, whether publically or privately as requested by the person asking the question. I believe that the Master Plumber’s is a plumber’s action organisation and hope it never becomes a way of organising plumber’s action.

 

All the trades are in dire straights, loosing numbers to over seas hand over fist and we face a huge battle in the rebuild of CHCH.

 

I have a question………Will I get the same help from the Master Plumber’s lawyers for defamation as did Fiona Graviel did against Wal Gordon? Or are some members/employees/puppets more equal than others, it reminds me of the book Animal Farm, where the pigs dictate to others whom they believe to be inferior, they ignore there own rules and indulge themselves while the other poor sods get shafted, doing all the graft.

 

Nice work if you can get it but I would rather retain my soul, which isn’t for sale.


Linkback: https://www.plumbers.nz/pgdb-new-zealand-plumbing-gasfitting-and-drainlaying-board/30/gas-explosion/893/

this is a copy of an email that I have widley circulated around the trade, I can't due to the size of the file attach the transcript of the hearing, love to hear from you guys, all the best Badger lets have it out in the sunlight el vamipro, you'll be dust

hi guys/badger, if that window was left open 24/7 there would never be a chance for fumes to effect the health of anyone in the house, there would be more products of combustion from a cabinet heater inside and that would only be a problem if there was not an opening window that was not open. Sometimes people have to get real,cheers

I haven't received my copy, could someone please scan the article and post it here.

Yet again publicly and vaguely accusing me of my lack of knowledge and understanding, read the transcript and you'll see who lacks any understanding

Lets have it, the specifics....utter bollocks

So after 2 and a half years of persecution and about $200 000 cost to them, cost me my home, business and a huge amount of time with my family.......

My penalty......I got a bloody CPD course to do and I got until 2013 to do it, if I am such a total clueless idiot, how come I got over a year to get trained up.....it is a joke.

Still the cause of the explosion and the person who added to the certs goes un investigated

I have tried to warn about all this since 2003, I pray it doesn't take a death or another explosion to get a real investigation...muppets

part two

Alan Bickers seems to already have picked up the brain rot that the old board operated with....By his inaction to launch an internal investigation in to why a clearly NON-compentant, non-industry person John Darnley, was awarded the CRAFTSMAN level of license after only one oral exam...this clearly should have been investigated...(BY AN ACTUAL IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATOR!)