Media

5 September
ABC TV NEWS

Cladding

Today I discussed the issue of ACT Government buildings being built with aluminium cladding with ABC news journalist Elise Scott.

On 17 August 2017 Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, Mick Gentleman, tabled a statement updating the Assembly on the Aluminium Cladding Working Group. 

The working group was set up to investigate the fire safety risks associated with aluminium cladding following the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in London that killed almost 80 people. In his statement, Minister Gentleman states that the Labor Government has “…been actively monitoring the use of aluminium cladding for over a decade…”

This statement is at odds with the fact that in 2010 the Labor Government went ahead with construction of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children using flammable cladding.

The Government needs to be open and transparent. The question is, who knew what and when? More to the point, how was this allowed to happen?

How many other government buildings were constructed using this cladding after 2009?

This government needs to be upfront about what the risks are and what they are doing about it.