Page 1929 - Week 06 - Thursday, 9 June 2016
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
MS BERRY: Thank you for the question. All Housing ACT properties, like any other housing properties in the ACT, would be required to meet fire safety requirements. That would be the case.
Ms Lawder: So were these.
MS BERRY: If the member has a particular question about these apartments that she would like me to respond to then I can respond to that specifically. But she has asked more general questions about whether or not an audit has been conducted. I have responded to that question.
Ms Lawder: Not really.
MS BERRY: She keeps interrupting, Madam Speaker. On the question of whether or not public housing properties comply with fire safety, I would suggest that they do.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, why is it that the ACT did not know that this particular Braddon public housing property may not be meeting fire safety requirements?
MS BERRY: Thank you for that very specific question. I can provide some advice to the member on this particular issue. Housing ACT was first alerted to the possible problem with the doors to the basement of the Lowanna Street complex following contact from a tenant on 8 March 2016. Housing ACT met with representatives from the fire brigade and the fire safety engineer from Dyson Pty Ltd on site on 10 March 2016. Interim short-term and longer term solutions were agreed to.
Opposition members interjecting—
MS BERRY: Madam Speaker, I am sure that you are interested in my response but I am not sure that those opposite are particularly concerned. Interim short-term solutions were all completed: installing doors close to the basement doors and erecting signage and temporary fencing around car spaces directly in front of basement doors. The basement doors were replaced with fire compliant doors on 18Â April 2016. Smoke seals and door closers have been fitted to all units in the complex.
The fire protection engineer consultant, Dyson, provided Housing ACT with the fire integrity audit on 8 May 2016. The report identified further rectification works needed on the property. A further interim measure to improve fire safety that involved the linking of individual unit fire alarms is currently being carried out through Spotless while legal advice is pending.
Housing ACT is keeping tenants informed about the further works that are required, and I hope that that advice assists members on the information that they sought on this issue.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Coe.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video