Page 2848 - Week 10 - Thursday, 15 August 1991
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As the Building Code of Australia contains technical requirements and standards agreed to at a national level, an Australian Capital Territory Appendix has been drawn up which incorporates supplementary functional requirements specific to the ACT. This allows different States and Territories to have local minor amendments to the general uniform standard.
In August 1989, the first Follett Labor Government announced that the Building Controller would, using existing powers under the Building Act, accept and approve plans for new building projects that comply with the Building Code of Australia and the ACT Appendix. This was widely publicised and ACT builders have taken advantage of this initiative. The ACT Building Controller has actively encouraged builders to submit plans in accordance with the Building Code of Australia.
Let me now detail the new arrangements to be introduced by the Bill. The Bill will provide that the Building Code of Australia and the ACT Appendix together constitute the building code which is to replace the existing building manual. Plans for new building projects must comply with the regulations set out in the building code. Changes to the ACT Appendix may be made by determination by the responsible Minister.
The Bill requires that the ACT Government and its agencies comply with the building code. Should an agency not wish to meet the building code standards in respect of a particular project, the agency must obtain an exemption from compliance by way of an instrument which will be disallowable by the Legislative Assembly. So the Assembly, again, would have control of any action by the Government which sought to exempt the Government from the requirements of the building code.
In this way, the Government is expecting no more of the private sector than it is prepared to do in its own buildings. Because of its particular importance in Canberra, the Government is seeking the Commonwealth's agreement that the Commonwealth be bound by the requirements of the building code. The Building Standards Committee is to be formally abolished. Advice in the future on proposals to amend the ACT Appendix, the application of the building code, or other building matters will be provided by a new non-statutory Building Regulation Advisory Committee.
The Building Regulation Advisory Committee will consist of representatives from my department and industry organisations including the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, the Institution of Engineers of Australia, the Australian Institute of Building, the Housing Industry Association, the Master Builders Construction and Housing Industry Association of the ACT, the Australian Federation of Construction Contractors, the Building Owners and Managers Association and the ACT Fire Brigade. Other
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