NZ wood makes the Beehive cut

Panels of African rainforest wood used in a refurbishment of the Beehive are likely to be replaced with macrocarpa following a cabinet decision yesterday.

Prime Minister Helen Clark told a post-cabinet press conference that Speaker Jonathan Hunt had sought guidance on what timber veneer should be used in the $40 million refurbishment.

"Our advice to Mr Hunt is that Parliamentary Services should purchase a veneer of an exotic New Zealand origin," Helen Clark said.

"Macrocarpa would do very nicely."

Workers were ordered to pull down new panelling in the Beehive after National revealed a couple of weeks ago that the wood came from African rainforests.

The cabinet originally directed that the use of new native timbers in the refurbishment should be avoided.

Last week Helen Clark described the people who defied that directive as "truly stupid."

"The minute did not say 'don't buy New Zealand native timber', it said 'don't buy native timber'."

"You would have to be truly stupid to interpret the cabinet decision in the way whoever was authorised to purchase the timber did."

- NZPA