Skye Kakoschke-Moore (SA, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to table an explanatory memorandum and to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

The Customs Amendment (Safer Cladding) Bill 2017 (the bill) responds in part to a recommendation made by the Senate Economics References Committee in its inquiry into non-conforming building products.

The bill amends the Customs Act 1901 to expressly ban the importation of polyethylene (PE) core aluminium composite panels (ACPs).

The cladding issue is a most serious public safety issue that requires urgent action. The issue was brought to the public's attention in November 2015 when the Lacrosse building in Docklands Melbourne caught fire. Since that time governments, both Federal and State, have failed to adequately respond.

The Lacrosse incident was the trigger for the Senate inquiry. The Lacrosse apartment block in Docklands, Melbourne, had aluminium cladding fixed to its exterior. Flames raced up several floors and it was only through sheer luck that no lives were lost.

Builders who consciously choose to cut costs using the non-compliant panels save only about $3 per square metre, putting profit ahead of lives.

Evidence given to the inquiry revealed PE and ACPs are so hazardous that in the event of a fire, one kilogram of polyethylene will release the same amount of energy as one and a half litres of burning petrol.

Unless the States act with a greater sense of urgency, the only way is to legislate to stop bringing this potentially lethal product into the country.

We cannot under any circumstances, bear the tragedy that occurred in London. We must prevent any risk of that happening here.

There needs to be urgent action from the Commonwealth and the States to complete audits of all suspect buildings and houses so remediation can be carried out; so that people can work and live safely in them.

It is unacceptable that some States, including my home State of South Australia, have been unable to identify which buildings contained the flammable material.

It is a simple test to identify whether cladding contains the cheap, flammable polyethylene or the slightly more expensive version treated with fire retardant.

The Senate inquiry heard disturbing evidence that dangerous and non-compliant goods were coming into the country undetected and, in some cases, with false or forged compliance documents.

The committee found greater enforcement of existing regulations was needed and recommended a national licensing system for a range of workers in the building and construction industry, along with severe penalties for non-compliance of the National Construction Code.

In light of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, there cannot be legitimate use of PE core ACPs on any building type. The committee found that as there are safe non-flammable and fire retardant alternatives available there is no place for PE core ACPs in the Australian market.

While Australian Border Force and suppliers of Aluminium Composite Material are currently unable to determine whether an imported building product will be used in a compliant manner, a ban on importation is necessary to prevent any disasters such as the Grenfell Tower tragedy occurring in Australia.

I commend the bill to the Senate and urge all of my colleagues in the Senate to support it.

I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.