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

The Building Ministers' Forum—which is chaired by my colleague the Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Craig Laundy—oversees the Australian Building Codes Board, which is responsible for development of the National Construction Code. In December 2016, the Building Ministers' Forum agreed that the codes board would implement a comprehensive package of measures to help address the risks associated with non-compliant use of external wall cladding on high-rise buildings and the broader issue of non-compliant use of building products. The package of measures includes referencing a contemporary and rigorous testing standard based on international best practice for full-scale testing of the fire performance of external facade systems; providing rigorous contemporary and clear NCC requirements to improve application and compliance; enhancing on-site checking, auditing and enforcement; and increasing industry awareness of the need to be cognisant of the risks associated with non-compliance. The Building Ministers' Forum is meeting again next week, and Mr Laundy will be pursuing these issues with his state counterparts. (Time expired)