Page 1606 - Week 05 - Thursday, 2 June 2022

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speaking about our motion and joining the lobbying efforts, as the Chief Minister and housing minister so eloquently spoke about, to ensure that this debt is forgiven as soon as possible. Mr Parton, I will meet you at the Erindale Vikings for a beer at the next budget papers and we can go through them together.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Building—combustible cladding

MS LEE (Kurrajong—Leader of the Opposition) (3.40): I move:

That this Assembly:

(1) notes that:

(a) combustible cladding has been a pressing issue since the Grenfell Tower fire in London in June 2017;

(b) it has taken the ACT Government over five years to progress remediation works on government-owned buildings;

(c) despite the need for urgent action raised by many owners corporations and strata managers, the ACT Government has been slow in addressing the issue of combustible cladding in residential buildings in Canberra;

(d) due to inaction by the ACT Government, some owners corporations have been forced to take active steps to remove combustible cladding and commence remediation works;

(e) the ACT Government only announced some assistance for testing and assessment for residential buildings in July 2021;

(f) despite announcing a concessional loan scheme in April, no details have been finalised; and

(g) owners corporations need support and certainty from the ACT Government to remediate combustible cladding on residential buildings; and

(2) calls on the ACT Government to:

(a) finalise and publish details, including eligibility and terms, of the remediation loan scheme by 30 June 2022;

(b) undertake a thorough and comprehensive audit of any residential buildings not yet tested by 30 September 2022;

(d) waive development application fees for cladding remediation works; and

(e) establish a dedicated team within the planning directorate to fast track development applications for cladding remediation works.

I will begin by acknowledging some of the Canberrans who have joined us in the public gallery today, who have all been affected by this government’s failures in fixing this combustible cladding issue and have been tireless advocates for action. Through you, Mr Assistant Speaker Cain, thank you to all of you for your efforts—

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