Page 2478 - Week 07 - Thursday, 3 August 2017
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MR BARR: I will need to check. It has been a while since I have had portfolio responsibility for this but I am certainly aware that at the time there were a number of properties, for example, in a row of town or terrace housing, where one or a number of properties, sometimes even in the middle of a row of attached housing, have had the loose-fill asbestos in their roof space and that has extended across the entire roof of the units.
Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of properties were detached dwellings. But there are example such as, as I mentioned in response to the previous question, Ainslie, which has clearly received a degree of media attention.
MS LAWDER: Chief Minister, are the structural circumstances of each complex taken into consideration when determining whether other units in a complex are demolished or not?
MR BARR: I understand that certainly has to be a factor.
MR STEEL: Can the Chief Minister advise of the success of the Mr Fluffy scheme across Canberra?
MR BARR: The latest update that I have seen from the task force is that work is progressing ahead of previously published schedules and that they are undertaking the tasks of both demolition of affected properties and resale as quickly as possible.
Asbestos—Ainslie shops
MR DOSZPOT: My question is to Chief Minister regarding the Asbestos Response Taskforce. A Canberra Times article of 3 July 2017 stated regarding Ainslie shops that the internal walls, ceilings, cornices, timber beams and the roof of the first-floor above Edgar's would be removed to clean the asbestos, leaving only the perimeter walls. Chief Minister, was an exception to the usual process required to allow for the relevant Ainslie shops building to be cleaned rather than demolished?
MR BARR: No, the Ainslie shops will need to be demolished.
MR DOSZPOT: Chief Minister, under what circumstances will the government allow for a structure to be thoroughly cleaned rather than demolished?
MR BARR: Under no circumstances. I will be very clear. The properties will be demolished. Consistent with the scheme that allows for a management regime to be in place in the medium term, which is the case for a number of residential properties as well, there is time to work through the detail. But ultimately the only lasting solution will be the demolition of those properties.
MS LEE: Chief Minister, when will people who are in this situation be notified of what the future of their homes or commercial property will be?
MR BARR: It is on a case-by-case basis.
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