Governor-General David Hurley has apologised following backlash over his endorsement of a builder who renovated his private Campbell home.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Governor-General and his wife Linda appeared in a now-removed video posted to Homes by Howe's Instagram in December 2020. The extension and renovation of their residence is also featured on the builder's website with a testimonial.
"Regarding media reports on the renovation of my private house. I made a mistake by agreeing, on the spur of a happy moment, to express my appreciation for the builder in a video and photos. I apologise for my mistake," Mr Hurley said in a statement released on Wednesday.
"I received no benefit of any kind for my participation. My words were not intended to be used in direct commercial advertising and reference to my appointment was not to be made.
"Nevertheless, I should have checked that my guidance was accurately followed. I have asked the builder to remove all material related to my comments."
While reference to the Governor-General's position as the Queen's representative has been removed from the website, the testimonial remains.
"We've been working with Brendan [Howe] for about 18 months to finish our house. We're really delighted with the outcome and end product," it reads.
"The entire time we've had a very positive and constructive relationship with Brendan and his crew. They've been very professional, we've been able to talk and we've got a great outcome."
In the deleted video the Governor-General's wife Linda praises the work of Canberra-based builder Brendan Howe and his team following the 18-month long renovation.
"Brendan has explained things clearly. He's always had a smile on his face. He's always been kind and he went out of his way to make me feel happy,'' she said in the video.
"And I feel really, really happy now. And I would like to say thank you for all the things he's changed for us.
"He's produced a beautiful home which I look forward to living in."
The four-bedroom home was the winner of the Master Builder Excellence awards in 2021.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
