Steps towards fixing the combustible cladding problem

(Note: this is a - clumsy, as I am relying on second hand sources - journalism exercise.)

The Andrews Government has announced that it will pursue "dodgy building practitioners" on behalf of those who own apartments identified as having combustible cladding.

The intention is to save the owners "time, hassle and expense".

In addition, a levy will be applied to permits for new, large multi-storey buildings to cover the half of the $600 million rectification fund that the Commonwealth declined to fund.

Modelling reported here indicates that the cost of rectification could be between $250 million and $1.6 billion.

Some have raised concerns - reported here - that work to fix the cladding problems may uncover other issues. The ABC reported that "The Victorian Treasurer, Tim Pallas, said the Government had the capacity to increase the rectification budget if needed."

Works are expected to take up to five years.

In the interim, this Guardian article reports that "Fire safety advice, including a recommendation that barbecues not be placed alongside cladding on high-rise balconies, has been published in 10 languages on the VBA website."

The legislation was introduced to the Victorian Parliament on Tuesday.

In addition, this matter has been the subject of several court cases, with a VCAT decision on the Lacrosse fire that the builder was liable for costs, but also that "the architect, fire engineer and building certifier who worked on the project . . . had breached contractual obligations", leading to an email to architects from "the Australian Institute of Architects . . . that they might need to seek counselling."

Furthermore, as The Conversation article noted, "The decision reminds architects and other consultants that abiding by common practice is no defence if that practice is inadequate."

The Conversation article also outlined the role that relaxation in regulations had played:

"Those who eased the regulatory framework in place in Australia since the late 1980s share culpability with the consultants for the fires at Lacrosse and Neo200. Until the early 1990s, Australian building codes prohibited the use of combustible elements on the facades of tall buildings. Throughout the 1990s, the then Building Code of Australia (now the National Construction Code or NCC) was relaxed to a “performance standard”, which allowed builders and consultants to believe aluminium composite panels and timber were permissible."

No action was taken despite growing evidence in the 2000s of the fire risk.

Other articles have linked the combustible cladding problem to the removal of local government from building approvals in the 1990s, particularly under former Premier Jeff Kennett.