Page 4976 - Week 13 - Thursday, 2 November 2017
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Building—aluminium cladding
(Question No 614)
Ms Lawder asked the Minister for Planning and Land Management, upon notice, on 15 September 2017:
(1) Is there an audit of residential buildings in the ACT which use aluminium cladding panels; if not when will one be undertaken.
(2) Do any of the multi-storey buildings behind the Casino/Glebe Park (section 65) use these panels.
(3) Were any buildings in the Canberra Airport Precinct built with these panels; if so, who is responsible for ensuring the safety of those buildings; if not, would ACT Fire and Rescue have access to that information.
(4) What jurisdiction does the ACT Government have over buildings and personal safety at the Canberra Airport Precinct and other Federal Government buildings.
Mr Gentleman: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) The initial focus of the cladding review has been Government buildings and as this work is completed work will expand to include identifying apartment and other multi-unit residential buildings in the ACT which are at risk of having aluminium cladding panels used in a way that is not compliant with building standards.
(2) It is important to recognise that there are different types of aluminium and aluminium composite panels (ACPs). Not all panels are combustible, pose a risk to occupants or are unlawfully installed. Publicly identifying individual buildings as having ACPs, which may be fully compliant and fit for purpose, may cause undue concern to owners and occupants of those buildings and their visitors.
Buildings that may be at risk of having non-compliant panels will be identified. Building owners will be contacted directly if the type of cladding is uncertain or there are compliance concerns.
(3) I am not aware of whether any buildings at the Canberra Airport Precinct have ACPs used in a way that is not compliant with the National Construction Code. The Australian Government is responsible for the safety of buildings in the precinct and has undertaken to audit buildings under their jurisdiction to ensure that buildings at the precinct do not pose an undue fire safety risk to people.
(4) The ACT Government does not have jurisdiction over building standards and general public protections in the Canberra Airport Precinct. However, there is an arrangement between the Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (ARFF) at the airport and ACT Fire and Rescue (ACT F&R), under which ACT F&R provide back up to the ARFF if there is a fire in the precinct.
The Australian Government did not bind itself with respect to the ACT building laws. The Australian Government has undertaken to audit buildings it owns and occupies.
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