Building Standards

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (15:01): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, representing the Minister for Local Government, about a fire that destroyed a new multistorey building at Munno Para at the weekend.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: Thank you, Mr President. I do seek your indulgence here because this is quite a serious matter I am about to raise. Like many viewers watching TV news at the weekend, I saw the fire which engulfed the mixed use building on the corner of Peachey and Curtis roads. The building has commercial businesses on the ground floor and two levels of apartments. According to eyewitnesses, one man had to jump from a top storey window onto an awning to save himself while two others found themselves trapped as flames swirled and acrid smoke billowed, and were rescued by the MFS. Nobody was killed or seriously injured by this alleged criminal act and I praise the gallant efforts of the MFS in evacuating and containing the blaze.

What particularly caught my attention was the fiercely burning exterior aluminium cladding. As many in this council are aware, a Senate inquiry found that substandard imported cladding used widely in Australian construction projects poses a serious fire hazard. Tragically, we saw that happen with London's catastrophic Grenfell Tower, which claimed the lives of 72 people. Fortunately, the Munno Para fire wasn't a towering inferno. However, I have since received reports about the builder's alleged failure to achieve many required safety standards in the building, including concerns about egress for wheelchairs and disabled persons, fire security and, of course, questions about the cladding.

Further, I am informed that officers from the City of Playford had attended the building in December 2016, around the time construction was completed, and issued the owner with a section 69 under the Development Act. This is the most serious breach notice possible under the act, requiring evacuation of any tenants and residents and immediate rectification work. My advice is there was no follow-up by the council to ensure the problems had been remedied as required by the notice. My questions to the Minister for Local Government are:

1. Will he demand to see all building approvals, documents and certifications from Playford council relating to this building as a matter of urgency?

2. If a section 69 or rectification order was issued by the council, if and how was this enforced? If not, what were the reasons?

3. What action has Playford council undertaken to ensure the building's safety code is compliant?

4. Were inspections or tests carried out on the aluminium cladding?

5. Is it time for the government to now issue an order that all councils carry out inspections of buildings that have used aluminium cladding constructed since 2010?

6. Is it time for the government to review the role of private certifiers acting for builders and/or owners in obtaining the necessary approvals?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:05): I thank the honourable member for his very important question. I will take that on notice and refer it to my colleague the Hon. Stephan Knoll in another place and bring back an answer.

The PRESIDENT: Mr Pangallo, I appreciate that this is a serious issue, but that was not a brief explanation and it also included some rhetorical flourishes. I would appreciate restraint on future occasions.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: I apologise, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Ngo.