NSW Government is pledging a crackdown on dodgy building certifiers following the Opal Tower chaos.
Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Matt Kean told Channel 7 he wants to ensure certifiers who are doing the wrong thing are kicked out of the industry.
Labor’s major building reform package is in disarray within hours of being announced, with the Shadow Minister and Opposition Leader at odds over the most significant part.
Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean said Michael Daley’s proposed cab rank system for certifiers was slammed as “unworkable” by Yasmin Catley in Parliament, on October 23.
“Once again Michael Daley has shown he’s an L-plate Opposition Leader, whose knee jerk announcements are dangerous for NSW,” Mr Kean said.
An immediate audit of private building certifiers will be launched by the state government to ensure the safety of high-rise living.
The safety blitz will take place in the wake of the Opal Tower emergency and is designed to restore confidence in the increasing number of high-rise residential buildings appearing on the state’s skyline.
The failure of a prefabricated concrete panel in the Opal Tower at Homebush has focused attention on the role of private certifiers, who are responsible for ensuring the work of developers meets legal requirements.
Three residents of the cracked Opal Tower building are refusing to vacate following calls from the builder and developer for them to leave.
In the first state government press conference on the issue since the building’s problems emerged, NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts said the three people refusing to leave the building are in “parts of the building that aren’t affected by this”.
“My advice is there is no need to move those residents out,” he said.
Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Matt Kean MP announces four point strategy to improved the certification industry.
Minister Kean said there has been growing community concern about dodgy certifiers and, while the cause of the recent problems at the Opal Tower remains unknown, what's happened there has put a spotlight on the industry again.
Dodgy developers and certifiers have been put on notice with new regulations to better protect those who buy off the plan.
Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Matt Kean MP said the majority of certifiers do the right thing but unfortunately there are some shonks in the industry.
Property developers could be made to find building certifiers through a lottery system where three are chosen at random, under a proposal aimed at removing conflicts of interest in the construction industry in NSW.
An options paper to be released today by the state government has proposed three ways to remove “dodgy” deals between major developers and certifiers who have, in some rare cases, given buildings the all-clear before they are ready.
“It is ridiculous that developers can choose their own certifiers,” Better Regulation Minister Matt Kean said.
After being elected as Member for Hornsby in March 2011, I have embarked on many initiatives that the community and I see as pivotal issues for Hornsby. I see and understand the needs of the community and am proud to play my part.
