Aluminium Composite Cladding

485 The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee) (12 May 2021). Has any agency reporting to the Treasurer or reporting to another minister provided any advice to the Treasurer regarding the replacement of aluminium composite panels on privately owned residential buildings in South Australia?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier): I have been advised:

In response to concerns about the use of aluminium composite panels (ACPs), the Attorney-General's Department has been coordinating a statewide cladding audit.

The audit was formerly coordinated by the former Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure.

The first two phases of the audit sought to:

identify buildings where ACP was present and the occupants would be unfamiliar with their surroundings or require assistance to evacuate, such as apartments, hotels, schools, hospitals, public assembly buildings and aged-care facilities; and

investigate the degree to which the presence of ACP may compromise the safety of those occupants.

Operationally, the audit is being conducted by council building fire safety committees, which have powers to require owners to address fire safety risks, including requiring the replacement of some or all of the ACP should they feel this is necessary.

The Attorney-General's Department is actively monitoring the progress of negotiations between the council building fire safety committees and private owners, and provides regular reports to the Minister for Planning and Local Government, given the department's role in this matter.

No formal advice has been provided to the Treasurer; however, status reports are provided to cabinet.