Page 3998 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 20 September 2017
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government on this particular issue. I welcome for the most part most of Mr Gentleman’s amendment with its calling on reports on the hospital and ACT government buildings to be made available. But I note that the amendment makes no reference to the commonwealth having no power to ensure that buildings are constructed according to the NCC or that regulation or enforcement is the responsibility of the states and territories.
Given our regulation and compliance regime, how can noncompliant use take place in the ACT? That question is very valid. As I stated earlier, the issue is noncompliance. And while I appreciate the minister’s goodwill in providing many of the items that I have asked for, I am disappointed that the government will not advise of the plans to mitigate fire risks associated with this aluminium cladding or advise specifically why the cladding is being removed from the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children and will not provide the reports on the hospital by ACT Fire & Rescue.
Mr Gentleman said I had been asking for a ban. In actual fact, in my motion I noted that the Senate Economics References Committee recommended that the Australian government implement a total ban. I will read from a newspaper article from the Canberra Times of 6 September:
Parliament's Standing Committee on Economics called for an urgent national ban on the importation, sale and use of the dangerous polyethylene core aluminium composite panels, as well as for state and territory governments to establish a national licensing scheme for builders.
The committee, which has considered dangerous building products over three years and received more than 160 submissions, also called for beefed up penalties for breaches of the construction code and more funding for the Federal Safety Commissioner.
It said there had been extensive delays in the development and implementation of policies to address non-compliance and non-conformity in the building industry and long lag times in addressing a 2014 fire at Melbourne's Lacrosse residential tower.
Labor’s spokesman on innovation, industry, science and research, Kim Carr, said the panels represented a fundamental failure of public safety akin to deadly asbestos.
I will just repeat that, Mr Assistant Speaker:
Labor’s spokesman on innovation, industry, science and research, Kim Carr, said the panels represented a fundamental failure of public safety akin to deadly asbestos.
He blamed decades of deregulation and privatisation and said use of the cheaper, imported combustible products saved builders just $3 per square metre.
I could go on. It is about compliance and regulation, which is the ACT government’s responsibility.
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