The NSW Government has successfully called for a national report to examine who is liable for having unsafe cladding rectified on buildings, Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean said.
State and Territory Building Ministers and the Commonwealth agreed to initiate the report at the Building Ministers’ Forum, held in Melbourne today.
“NSW is leading the nation to address the issue of who should pay for rectification work, if it’s required, and what existing remedies are in place for affected building owners,” Mr Kean said.
“The report will also look at any court action currently underway, and whether any new approaches should be considered.”
Mr Kean said the report was needed to make sure that States and Territories had all the facts before them, and to ensure all Australians benefit from best practice.
The report is the latest step in a series of ongoing reforms regarding the use of cladding across NSW.
The Commissioner for NSW Fair Trading Rose Webb recently called for public submissions about whether a ban is warranted on certain types of cladding. That process is ongoing.
“We will continue to push for effective, nation-wide action to give Australians certainty and security when it comes to the buildings where they live, work and play,” Mr Kean said.
More information about the ongoing work of the NSW Fire Safety and External Wall Cladding Taskforce is available via fairtrading.nsw.gov.au
