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Victorian cladding task force examines fire risk

Former premier Ted Baillieu will head a task force investigating cladding on Victorian buildings following the deadly Grenfell tower fire in London.

Taskforce announced to audit cladidng in Victoria

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Source: AAP


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Former Victorian premier Ted Baillieu will spearhead a new cladding task force assessing fire safety in buildings across the state following the deadly Grenfell tower fire in London.

Planning Minister Richard Wynne on Monday announced Mr Baillieu and former Labor deputy premier John Thwaites will lead the investigation to identify any dangerous buildings.

The task force will include the MFB, Fire Safety Victoria and a range of peak bodies and unions from the building industry, with a preliminary report due in three months.

"We need to get this cladding safety issue right and that's why we are going to ensure that we have all of the key agencies involved in this," Mr Wynne told reporters in Melbourne.

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At least 79 people died in the Grenfell blaze, which may have been fuelled by the same flammable cladding responsible for the Lacrosse apartment tower fire in Docklands in 2014.

After the Lacrosse fire, an audit assessed more than 220 Victorian buildings and while all have been declared safe to occupy, many do not comply with regulations.

"We need to get on the front foot as fast as we can to identify buildings that may be vulnerable," Mr Baillieu said.

"We need to actually talk to all the stakeholders, including occupants, tenants and building owners to ensure whatever tools they need are made available by government."

Mr Thwaites says the role of the new task force is to "accelerate action" so the audit and rectification process is done swiftly.

"There is a broader issue of enforcement and compliance and we have to make sure that the building industry is complying with the rules so that people are safe," he said.

The review will cover cladding and building materials, evacuation procedures, sprinklers and general fire safety.

Potentially dangerous cladding is still on 17 buildings in Melbourne and the Melbourne City Council in June said it is "very close" to finalising solutions with owners.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wrote to premiers and chief ministers last month asking them to review the use of cladding in the aftermath of the Grenfell tragedy.


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