The Earthquake Commission (EQC) is trying to shut down adverse findings about its top engineer Graeme Robinson to avoid reopening his 2500 Canterbury assessments.

EQC is worried the findings, if allowed to stand, will have "serious and far reaching implications" for itself and other insurers.

Robinson was found negligent and incompetent by a disciplinary committee of the Institution of Professional Engineers last year. It also found he did not act honestly and with objectivity and integrity, and cancelled his registration.

KIRK HARGREAVES Homeowner Heidi Gwynne, of Diamond Harbour, called EQC engineer Graeme Robinson dishonest and unprofessional when she appeared at a disciplinary hearing last year.

The findings have not been released officially, although it is understood most of the complaints from 11 Canterbury homeonwers have been fully or partly upheld. Robinson did more than 2500 assessments in Canterbury for EQC after September 4, 2010, and the commission now faces demands for all his assessments to be reopened.

Robinson appealed the disciplinary committee decisions at a Chartered Professional Engineers Council (CPEC) hearing in Wellington last week. Although the hearing was closed to the media, EQC asked to observe and make submissions but its request was declined.

If the appeal fails, Robinson can still appeal to the District Court.

In a December 2014 letter to the CPEC chairman Graham Shaw, obtained by The Press, EQC chief executive Ian Simpson asked the council to keep decisions about Robinson confidential until any appeal of the decisions was completed.

The letter also said EQC believed the disciplinary committee findings were not supported by the evidence and failed to "properly understand and consider the role of EQC and Mr Robinson".

Public demands to reopen all Robinson's assessments illustrated "the difficulties which the decisions will inevitably cause for EQC if they are allowed to stand".

"EQC does not shirk transparency or accountability but it considers the committee's findings are clearly wrong in a number of respects.

"EQC expects that it will need to respond vigorously to any publication of the findings as they currently stand, including deficiencies in the decisions.

"We are hoping that by drawing these matters to your attention, the Council will be able to take steps to correct the problems with the decisions."

Simpson's letter said the disciplinary committee did not reflect that Robinson's advice to EQC was given in the context of NZ's biggest natural disaster and that the findings had serious implications for EQC and other insurers.

They would delay insurer responses and the committee's best practice requirements exceeded what was required to "inform the insurance process for which EQC is responsible".

The findings would impede EQC and other insurers' ability to recruit and retain engineers, the letter said.

EQC acting chief executive Bryan Dunne on Wednesday said it was interested in the outcome of the hearing because the decisions had "far reaching consequences for the engineering profession, and EQC and other insurers as significant users of engineering services".

"The letter spells out these concerns. It was not an attempt to interfere with the proceedings but to draw the committee's attention to matters relevant to their decision-making."

EQC could not comment on any ramifications until the appeal process was completed, Dunne said.