The Victorian Government has announced $600m to help cover the costs of rectifying around 400 properties in the state, from about one third of those audited of high-risk dwellings (not so far covering any commercial buildings). Half may be recovered from higher building levies.
This issue will run and run, as it is a country-wide issue, thanks to the deregulation of standards a decade or so ago. The bill will run into billions and take years to fix up. The supervisory approach also needs attention.
It also begs the question of what happens to those residents who have already spent to fix buildings?
The Andrews Labor Government will establish a world-first program to tackle high-risk cladding and keep Victorians safe.
Premier Daniel Andrews joined Minister for Planning Richard Wynne to announce a $600 million package to fix buildings with combustible cladding.
The grants will fund rectification works on hundreds of buildings, found to have high-risk cladding, to make sure they’re safe and compliant with all building regulations.
The program will be overseen by a new agency, Cladding Safety Victoria, which will manage funding and work with owners corporations from start to finish.
The Labor Government will directly fund half of the rectification works and will introduce changes to the building permit levy to raise the other $300 million over the next five years.
Rectification of buildings with high-risk cladding and the establishment of a dedicated cladding agency were key recommendations from the final report from the Victorian Cladding Taskforce released today.
The Taskforce was established by the Labor Government in 2017 to identify how many buildings had combustible cladding and potential solutions to fix them.
The Taskforce has also recommended the Victorian Government seek a contribution from the Commonwealth to help fund rectification, as combustible cladding is a national problem.
The Taskforce, headed by former Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu and former Deputy Premier John Thwaites, has worked with the Victorian Building Authority to identify 15 buildings that will have their cladding fixed first.
Work on these high-risk buildings was funded in the Victorian Budget 2019/20 and will begin in the coming weeks. Cladding Safety Victoria will also be contacting owners corporations and property owners shortly, starting with those whose buildings are at the greatest risk.
The government will also review the state’s Building Act to identify what legislative change is needed to strengthen the system and better protect consumers.
For more information, including a copy of the Victorian Cladding Taskforce’s final report, visit https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/building-policy/victorian-cladding-taskforce
so the perps walk with the profits free and clear with the tax payer picks up the tab.
so how about the government kicks in $5oMillion to pursue the perps to their graves