Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science) Share this | Hansard source

In light of the tragic incident at Grenfell Tower in London, there has clearly been strong interest in this issue here in Australia, and rightly so. But, before I begin, I offer my sympathies—and I am sure I speak on behalf of all of us in the chamber—to the residents and to the families and friends of residents of Grenfell Tower.

Our regulators are in contact with the UK authorities, who are conducting their own investigations, so I will not draw premature comparisons between that incident and the safety of Australian high-rise buildings. But I do want to provide some information about what we do here in Australia. The health and safety risks posed by non-conforming building products are a priority for the Australian government. There is in place a National Construction Code which provides the minimum necessary requirements for safety, health, amenity and sustainability in the design and construction of new buildings. Since its implementation in 1994, the code has specified that combustible materials cannot be used on the external walls of high-rise buildings. The NCC also contains other fire-safety requirements that limit the spread of fire and alert the occupants. These requirements vary with the building size but can include smoke detection, occupant warning systems, more than one exit for each storey, fire sprinklers, fire-resistant construction, resistance to collapse as a result of fire and features to assist fire brigade operations such as fire hydrants.

The Prime Minister will be writing to premiers and chief ministers seeking their commitment to address issues around non-compliance and requesting information on current enforcement activities they undertake, because the state and territories are at the front line of enforcing the building regulations. We are also going to be writing to the relevant Senate committee—there is a Senate inquiry into non-conforming building products. Rather than holding a separate inquiry, we will be asking for that inquiry to expand to include examination of current state and territory regulatory frameworks. (Time expired)