- Published:
- Monday 3 July 2017
The Andrews Labor Government will establish an expert taskforce to investigate the extent of non-compliant cladding on Victorian buildings.
The Victorian Cladding Taskforce will be jointly chaired by former Premier and architect Ted Baillieu, and former Deputy Premier and Minister for Planning John Thwaites.
The new taskforce will bolster the state’s ability to detect and address non-compliant cladding, and ensure residents, owners’ corporations and building managers are better informed about the issue.
After the Lacrosse Building fire at the Docklands in 2014, Victoria embarked on Australia’s first ever audit to identify buildings fitted with cladding.
The original audit and subsequent investigations have now assessed more than 220 Victorian buildings. Although all have been declared safe to occupy, many do not comply with regulations.
The Taskforce will oversee the continuing audit to identify where cladding has been used inappropriately and ensure buildings are rectified more quickly.
It will also make recommendations to the Government on how to improve compliance and enforcement of building regulations to better protect the health and safety of building occupants.
Key agencies Worksafe Victoria, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, the Victorian Building Authority, the Municipal Association of Victoria and Emergency Management Victoria will all be represented on the Taskforce.
A stakeholder reference group made up of organisations including building unions, the Master Builders Association of Victoria and the Housing Industry Association will also be established.
The Taskforce will meet for the first time this week.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Planning Richard Wynne
“We’re bringing together the key agencies to better detect and address the issue of materials used in a non-compliant way.”
“The Commonwealth has to play a more active role too. We’ll keep pushing the Federal Government to better detect non-conforming products entering Australia.”
Quotes attributable to Victorian Cladding Taskforce Co-Chair Ted Baillieu
“This is a critical public safety issue – agencies, stakeholders and all Victorians need to work together to ensure cladding complies with our strict regulations and buildings are safe.”
Quotes attributable to Victorian Cladding Taskforce Co-Chair John Thwaites
“We’ll be playing a key role ensuring builders, architects, engineers, surveyors and building owners and managers are all aware of their responsibilities during construction.”