As we mentioned last week, the Public Accountability Committee has commenced its first inquiry for the 57th Parliament looking into the regulation of building standards, building quality and building disputes.
With plenty of media attention in recent months about building defects, including in the Opal Tower and Mascot Towers, the committee is encouraging affected individuals to share their experience with the committee through an online questionnaire.
- Example of media attention regarding building standards in NSW. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jun/27/recommendations-from-opal-tower-debacle-not-acted-on-engineers-say
As Committee Chair, Mr David Shoebridge MLC said in a media release, ‘The committee are deeply concerned about the forced evacuation of residents following substantial building defects being found in the Mascot and Opal Tower buildings’.
The short questionnaire asks participants about their views on:
- The role of private certification in protecting building standards
- The adequacy of consumer protections for owners and purchasers of new buildings
- The role of strata committees in responding to building defects.
The committee also asks for suggestions about the regulation of building standards, quality and disputes. Responses are due by Sunday 4 August 2019.
The questionnaire will be a valuable tool for the committee to hear from the community. While responses will be used in the committee’s reports, the questionnaire does not replace the usual submission process. Other stakeholders, particularly organisations, who would like to provide more detailed responses to the terms of reference, are encouraged to make a submission via the online portal by Sunday 28 July 2019.
As the committee wants to address this issue urgently, the committee is expecting to publish an interim report as soon as possible with a final report released by February next year.