&nbsp;

A local Australian has spent a Lower North Shore record $15.1 million at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elevate-hume-place-crows-nest-25-hume-street-crows-nest-nsw-2065">Elevate Hume Place</a>, the new TOD above the recently opened Crows Nest Metro Station.

The buyer amalgamated a penthouse and sub-penthouse to create the triplex apartment that will have five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a private rooftop pool, expansive terrace, and panoramic views of Sydney Harbour and skyline. The building is being created by burgeoning developer Third.i, alongside joint venture partner Phoenix Property Investors.

The buyer was drawn to Elevate’s unrivalled connectivity, situated directly above the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/crows-nest-nsw-2065">Crows Nest</a> Metro Station, and the vibrant lifestyle precinct that surrounds it. The Metro connects to the CBD in just seven minutes, and Chatswood in four.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=142550 project_image_fid=309367]

Designed by internationally acclaimed architects <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, Elevate draws inspiration from the ancient blue gum forests native to the area. The building is a Net Zero development, created in consultation with Indigenous communities and exceeding sustainability benchmarks. Interiors feature chevron-engineered timber flooring, natural stone benchtops, and premium Sub-Zero Wolf appliances, delivering timeless elegance and next-level comfort.

The exchange of the $15.1 million apartment, follows a recent $5 million sale, and over $30 million currently in expressions of interests. Interest in Elevate’s penthouse stock has surged, reflecting a strong appetite for ultra-luxury residences that combine design excellence with unmatched connectivity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=142550 project_image_fid=309369]

“We’re seeing a significant uptick in interest from local and international buyers who are prioritising connectivity, sustainability, and lifestyle,” said Callum Billinghurst, Head of Sales at Third.i Group.&nbsp;

“These recent sales are a testament to the vision behind Elevate. It’s not just about luxury finishes or panoramic views, it’s about creating homes that are deeply connected to the city and the community. Buyers are responding to that. They want to live somewhere that offers more than just a postcode, they want culture, convenience, and long-term value. Elevate delivers all of that, and more.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=142550 project_image_fid=297878]

As part of the Hume Place precinct, Elevate is transforming Crows Nest into Sydney’s most dynamic urban village. Elevate’s unique position directly above the metro, combined with its curated amenity offering, has made it a magnet for buyers seeking a future-proof investment and a vibrant urban lifestyle.

The next release at Elevate is expected later this year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=142550]

“We’re seeing a significant uptick in interest from local and international buyers who are prioritising connectivity, sustainability, and lifestyle,” said Callum Billinghurst, Head of Sales at Third.i Group


Joel Robinson

Third.i & PPI set Lower North Shore apartment record with $15.1m sale at Elevate Hume Place penthouse amalgamation

Sydney developer Deicorp is set to officially open its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/hills-showground-village-castle-hill-2-mandala-parade-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Showground Village</a> precinct in Castle Hill.

NSW Premier Chris Minns will attend the opening on Sunday August 31, alongside&nbsp;Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully, The Hills Shire Council Mayor Dr Michelle Byrne, Landcom CEO Alex Wendler, and Deicorp Founder Fouad Deiri.

Located just moments from Hills Showground Metro Station, the centre spans 9,500 sqm across four levels and features 26 specialty retailers as well as a 1,400 sqm public plaza, creating a new community meeting point for shopping, dining, fitness, and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Showground Village forms part of the Hills Showground Station Precinct, an urban renewal initiative led by Landcom and Sydney Metro that will provide for around 2,300 new jobs over the next 20 years and around 9,000 new homes.&nbsp;

Deicorp was recently approved for another new development next door to Showground Village.

The new five residential buildings in the East Showgrounds Precinct, will see another 873 dwellings delivered, as well as&nbsp;3,500 sqm of open public space in the form of landscaped courtyards, a public park and communal outdoor recreational space including a playground, barbeque area, and outdoor seating.

“This approval will allow us to start construction on a range of beautifully designed, conveniently located apartments and create another vibrant, walkable and well-connected community,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/deicorp" target="">Deicorp</a>&nbsp;Founder Fouad Deiri.

“These new homes will provide their residents with a seamless connection to jobs and services along Metro North West, and the new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/hills-showground-village-castle-hill-2-mandala-parade-castle-hill" target="">Hills Showground Village</a>&nbsp;retail precinct currently under construction."

Deicorp has several thousand apartments in planning and under construction across Sydney, from Zetland and Five Dock to Crows Nest and Macquarie Park.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=133881]

Deicorp, NSW Premier officially open Showground Village, new retail and hospitality hub in Castle Hill

ASX-listed developer Cedar Woods is progressing its plans for its Southbank arts precinct site.&nbsp;

The developer has filed plans, which are now with the&nbsp;Department of Transport and Planning, for a new 20-level tower at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/141-151-sturt-street-southbank-vic-3006">141–151 Sturt Street</a>, a 2,718 sqm block opposite the Habitat Filter sculpture.

The proposal seeks to demolish the two-level&nbsp;commercial building, including a small supermarket and medical tenancies, and create a new building with 180 apartments and a focus on an&nbsp;active public realm and arts integration.

&nbsp;

<img alt="Southbank site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="76a72db6-91ef-43ae-827d-a9cfa72893d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Site.png?VersionId=DZgtB4K6BswVh0QtCs3iLjXaLp0CbcEb" />

&nbsp;

There will be a full mix of apartment configurations, including 28 studio apartments, 16 one-bedroom, 104 two-bedroom, and 32 three-bedroom units.

Retail, creative arts, and residential amenity functions are integrated across the lower levels. A food and drink tenancy is planned to front Dodds Street, while a retail tenancy fronting Sturt Street will be accessed via an elevated walkway. The first floor includes a substantial 734 sqm creative arts space, envisioned to support Melbourne’s growing cultural and digital industries.

Architecture firm <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has put together the plans. In their&nbsp;Urban Design Report they highlighted the project’s ambition to embed itself within Southbank’s evolving cultural fabric.

A central feature of the design is a through-block link connecting Sturt and Dodds Streets, landscaped with native plantings and embedded with universal access ramps.

“The ramp has been thoughtfully integrated as the primary access point, ensuring universal accessibility for all users,” the report noted, with the link offering “a direct response to the urban planning scheme of creating more green spaces within our communities”.

<img alt="Southbank podium" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4d24b1b2-d69c-4a11-a11d-ec6df432221c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/podium.png?VersionId=geWoJyZDmPSLODZ_.PNJ0LvpOmyyCdpo" />

The building’s podium form responds to the mandatory height limits along Dodds Street and maintains a fine-grain interface to adjoining developments. Above the podium, the tower is articulated with recessed balconies and a focus on views toward the CBD and surrounding arts institutions. A communal rooftop recreation deck and indoor lounge are positioned on level four, adjoining seven apartments and providing over 900 sqm of resident amenity space.

Vehicle access and loading will be provided via Dodds Street, with 155 resident car spaces located across two basement levels and the first three above-ground floors. Bicycle storage is more generous, with 226 spaces distributed across resident, staff and visitor needs.

Rothelowman describes the architecture as “humanist,” with ground-level interfaces designed to encourage social interaction and provide a dignified entry for both residents and passers-by. “All street interfaces are crafted to invite and nurture human connections,” the design report states. “The façade transitions to a human scale, providing an approachable and engaging streetscape”.

Cedar Woods, while well-known for its large communities it develops outside of Australia's capital cities, they have recently developed in Melbourne's inner-ring before. They are approaching completion at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/88-leveson-north-melbourne-88-leveson-street-north-melbourne-vic-3051">88 Leveson</a>, just 15 townhouses in the heart of North Melbourne.

Cedar Woods progresses with new apartment plans in Southbank arts precinct

Brisbane developers Core Property Partners and Vector Property Australia has teamed up for Brisbane's newest apartment development.

The duo identified <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/east-brisbane-qld-4169">East Brisbane</a> as their preferred suburb, on the fringe of the Gabba Precinct, where they've just revealed BANKSII, 72 apartments opposite Raymond Park.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136432 project_image_fid=5481]

The one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments will sit in a glass-wrapped building that will also feature a rooftop with an&nbsp;infinity-edge pool, a BBQ area and alfresco dining spaces, sun lounges, and a sauna, as well as a resident-only gym and a ground-floor cafe.

Rhett Williams, Director of Vector Property Australia, said the project will lift the quality of the East Brisbane community and set a new benchmark.

"In Brisbane’s current property landscape, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/banksii-east-brisbane-169-wellington-road-east-brisbane-qld-4169">BANKSII</a> stands out through its emphasis on lifestyle-oriented living, connectivity and sophisticated design," Williams says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136432 project_image_fid=5479]

The 10-level building has been designed by MAS Architecture. Their designs were inspired by the native Banksia flower, with the architecture and interiors reflecting the organic symmetry of its namesake flora. MAS has interpreted this throughout the building’s curved form, façade detailing and interior palette.&nbsp;

The building’s flowing geometry and natural tones are complemented by large balconies and floor-to-ceiling glazing, maximising cross-breezes, daylight and views over the city, parklands and river.

“Having a strong narrative for a building helps us architecturally,” MAS noted. "We can choose colours that come off that species of flowers. The trunk and the trees and the flower elements all are now visible in our joinery on the inside and in our architectural finishes on the outside."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136432 project_image_fid=5485]

Apartments will feature timber floors, soft porcelain tiles, brushed bronze fittings, and stone benchtops with warm veining.&nbsp;

Kitchens feature premium SMEG appliances and generous storage, while bathrooms have been designed as calming retreats with curved cabinetry and twin sinks in the master ensuites.

The building will feature a suite of rooftop and wellness amenities. Residents will have access to an infinity-edge pool, BBQ and alfresco dining areas, sun lounges and a rooftop sauna.&nbsp;

A residents-only gym will be located on the podium level, while a ground-floor café and landscaped laneway will further activate the site and improve neighbourhood connectivity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136432 project_image_fid=5488]

BANKSII will rise from a prime Wellington Road site, with the building oriented to overlook the adjacent Raymond Park and take in extensive city views. It is also on the doorstep of key&nbsp;lifestyle infrastructure, including the future Kangaroo Point Green Bridge, The Gabba stadium, and the planned Brisbane Live arena.&nbsp;

Public transport options, including ferry, bus and rail - including the future Cross River Rail Woolloongabba station - are all nearby, supporting a car-optional lifestyle just minutes from the CBD.

Williams said the team spent over a year searching for the ideal site before securing this location.

"We were attracted to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/east-brisbane-qld-4169">East Brisbane</a> as it is a vibrant and growing community that offers a perfect balance of urban convenience and natural beauty with the parklands and river on our doorstep.”

The project is part of the broader Woolloongabba Games precinct, which is undergoing significant investment in the lead-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. This urban renewal, coupled with infrastructure upgrades, is expected to enhance long-term liveability and capital growth in the area.

Given the wide max of configurations, BANKSII is expected to suit everyone from first home buyers and investors to families and downsizers.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=136432]

BANKSII sales launch in booming East Brisbane apartment market

The Minns Labor Government will deliver Sydney’s first new heavy rail station in more than a decade – enabling up to 10,000 new homes by rezoning land around Woollahra and Edgecliff stations, right next to the CBD, to tackle the housing crisis and rebalance growth across the city.

Recent reports by the NSW Productivity Commission have warned that Sydney is losing twice as many young people as it is gaining, while also finding that Woollahra is the most feasible Local Government Area (LGA) in New South Wales to build new housing.

Despite this, housing approvals in Woollahra consistently lag well behind other LGAs, and the population has declined by 11 per cent over the past 50 years while Greater Sydney as a whole has grown by 74 per cent.

The new station that will be an eight-minute trip from Sydney CBD, will be located on the Eastern Suburbs train line in Woollahra, where a station build was started in the 1970s but never completed.

To enable the delivery of new homes the NSW Government will lead a rezoning of Woollahra and Edgecliff stations similar to other state led rezonings to allow additional homes to be built around the stations.

Affordable housing will also make up a proportion of development on the site with the final amount of affordable housing required, to be determined as part of the rezoning process.

The area surrounding the new station is within walking distance of major green and recreational space including Cooper, Trumper, Rushcutters Bay and Centennial Parks.

The Eastern Suburbs train line between Bondi Junction and Sydney CBD also has the lowest passenger usage rates during the AM peak of any line on the Sydney network, with only 43 per cent of operating capacity during the AM peak currently being utilised by passengers.

Sydney Water and Infrastructure NSW have confirmed there is capacity in the water and wastewater systems to accommodate the proposed 10,000 dwellings without major upgrades.

The rezoning is expected to take around two years and will further support the Government’s housing targets that rebalance the delivery of new homes around existing infrastructure.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Next stop Woollahra train station - delivering up to 10,000 new homes in the heart of Sydney

Apartment Cladding

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NSW Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson has today announced a major milestone for Project Remediate with the release of an independent report outlining four safe and non-flammable product categories that represent the first tranche to replace high-risk cladding.

Mr Anderson said the four categories had been recommended by the experts of the Cladding Product Safety Panel as part of Project Remediate, the NSW Government’s billion-dollar program to fast track the removal combustible cladding on 214 high-risk residential buildings.

“Thanks to our panel of experts we’ve now identified four, safe, options that can be specified for use as part of the Government’s replacement program,” Mr Anderson said.

“We are taking the lowest possible risk approach to fire safety. That’s why every component we are recommending in the first tranche will have to meet the highest fire safety standard under the Building Code of Australia. The system includes fixings, brackets, and insulation, and will also need to be completely non-combustible.”

Mr Anderson said the project would also appoint a single façade engineer who will provide guidance and quality assurance of the cladding system design on every building remediated by the Government.

“Homeowners need to be confident their building will be rectified with systems that are safe. That’s why we will also be requiring products and systems in each of the recommended categories to have demonstrated independent fire testing before they can be specified in designs under this program,” Mr Anderson said.

Chair of the Cladding Product Safety Panel Professor, Mark Hoffman said the panel would be giving further consideration to additional products and systems but only after more rigorous independent testing is completed and demonstrated.

“There may be additional systems that can safely include elements with some combustibility. The panel will consider submissions relating to these but to date, we have not been provided with robust data from independent accredited labs which tests both the product and the system,” Mr Hoffman said.

Four system categories are considered acceptable replacement options for Project Remediate, subject to additional design requirements. These categories are:

<ul>
<li>Solid aluminium panels installed with cavity barriers and fire-proof mechanical fixings</li>
	<li>Solid metal sheets installed with cavity barriers and fire-proof mechanical fixings</li>
	<li>Fibre cement panels installed with cavity barriers and fire-proof mechanical fixings</li>
	<li>Non-combustible cement render.</li>
</ul>
“It is time to get the job done. We expect to commence assessment and project design for the first batch of 30 buildings by July this year, with the first cladding removed in late 2021,” Mr Anderson concluded.
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Thanks to our panel of experts we’ve now identified four, safe, options that can be specified for use as part of the Government’s replacement program

jordan_55689

Report outlines 4 safe non-flammable cladding products

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EXPERT INSIGHT

Australia has <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19491247.2021.1893119">more than 3,400</a> buildings with flammable cladding. In Victoria alone, at least 71 of these buildings <a href="https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/cladding-safety-victoria-ceo-appointed">have been classified</a> as “extreme risk” and another 368 as “high risk”. Despite the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/oct/26/director-at-grenfell-tower-tmo-describes-how-fatal-cladding-saved-800000">tragic evidence</a> of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/lacrosse-fire-ruling-sends-shudders-through-building-industry-consultants-and-governments-112777">risks</a> of <a href="https://theconversation.com/cladding-fire-risks-have-been-known-for-years-lives-depend-on-acting-now-with-no-more-delays-111186">cladding</a> fires, rectification work had been completed on only <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/secrecy-around-cladding-hit-list-attacked-as-spin-after-signs-reveal-dozens-of-sites-20210219-p573yr">11 of these buildings</a> by February 2021.

The estimated cost of making these buildings safe is <a href="https://theconversation.com/flammable-cladding-costs-could-approach-billions-for-building-owners-if-authorities-dither-118121">in the billions</a>. State governments have provided limited funding to rectify the highest-risk buildings. Occupants of lower-risk buildings have largely been left to fund the work themselves.

We know from previous building industry failures like the leaky homes crisis in <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/116236850/the-rottenomics-of-the-47-billion-leaky-homes-market-failure">New Zealand</a> and <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-leaky-condo-crisis-1.4609418">Canada</a> that the impacts go beyond the repair costs.

In two recently published research papers, we explore the impacts on occupants’ finances and well-being of owning and living in apartments with flammable cladding in Australia. We interviewed 16 owners and investors from Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and ACT.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=31257]

What costs are owners facing?

The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19491247.2021.1893119">paper</a> published last week looked at the accumulating financial costs beyond the rectification work. Participants revealed these costs include:

<ul>
<li>
	special levies, to cover rectification costs
	</li>
	<li>
	higher owners’ corporation fees
	</li>
	<li>
	rising insurance premiums
	</li>
	<li>
	legal fees
	</li>
	<li>
	fixing other fire safety defects, such as sprinklers
	</li>
	<li>
	possible loss of property value.
	</li>
</ul>
As one occupant said:

“We’ve (owners’ corporation) had to put the levies up and then we’d have rates of special levies for the legal fees and the fire engineer’s report as well […] And we still got the cladding on the building.”

The financial burdens on households have influenced major and minor life decisions. One participant said:

“I really want to retire in two years […] how will I be able to pay for all of this (cladding rectification)? I don’t know […] It might be the case that I then have to actually sell a defective unit.”

How are owners coping?

Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2021.1887458">second paper</a> explores the effects on owners’ well-being. They reported frustration, concern and anger. Some in higher-risk buildings feared for their safety. Some said this range of long-term negative emotions was harming their mental health and well-being.

All owners were very disappointed that building industry-related professions and the government could allow this to happen. This was compounded by the realisation that their building warranty was mostly useless in this situation:

“And then you find out that the warranty is worth very little, and you have to then deal with the builder who’s engaged in dishonest practices essentially […] The kind of builder we had, it’s the kind of builder that would very much just disappear his company, and recreate to avoid any liability.”

Some expressed serious concerns for people’s lives because of the financial stresses the crisis had caused:

“There’s one lady who’s even worse off than me. She’s absolutely beside herself. She doesn’t know what’s she’s going to do […S] he’ll probably go insane or kill herself or something. Seriously […] she is so distraught about this all.”

Policy change needed to improve support

Our research clearly shows apartment owners are feeling the impacts of much more than just the direct rectification costs. Support to help people cope with these broader impacts is lacking. A similar lack of wider support was identified in the building defect crises in New Zealand and Canada.

Recent developments include a Victorian <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-01/victorian-ban-on-combustible-cladding-comes-into-effect/13107218">ban on flammable cladding</a> on all new multi-storey buildings and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/feb/09/ministers-to-increase-financial-support-for-cladding-removal">extra government funding for rectification work</a> in the UK. The Victorian government is <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/find-out-about-cladding-safety-victorias-program">contributing A$600 million</a> towards the cost of rectifying some higher-risk apartments. In New South Wales, the government is <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/customer-service/projects-and-initiatives/project-remediate">providing interest-free loans</a> to help owners in an estimated 225 buildings.

NSW has also begun work on building industry <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/building-commissioner/news/a-better-future-a-better-industry">reforms</a> to:

<ul>
<li>
	improve regulations, with new powers, processes and audit practices for the regulator
	</li>
	<li>
	use a system to rate building risk that links past practice, finance and insurance records so consumers are protected from risky projects and practitioners
	</li>
	<li>
	improve procurement methods with major changes to contracting, declared design requirements, and sign-off processes/stages
	</li>
	<li>
	improve building skills and capabilities through professional education, development, responsibilities and certification
	</li>
	<li>
	develop digital systems to modernise and harmonise the industry.
	</li>
</ul>
These are clearly good steps forward. But governments and the building industry need to do more to provide broader support and protection for the affected households. As our research shows, they are suffering financially on a number of fronts and all the while the crisis eats away at their well-being.

Government policy on housing defects has focused on the cost of fixing these defects. The other indirect financial costs, such as increased insurance, and effects on well-being, have been neglected. Future policy must reduce the risks of more crises such as combustible cladding and, if there is a crisis, consider all the financial costs owners bear as well as the need to support their well-being.<img alt="The Conversation" casgev6pv="" ffbm2w6r6="" height="1" kb3entpod="" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/157307/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" width="1">

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/trivess-moore-12580">Trivess Moore</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-oswald-1218862">David Oswald</a>, Senior Lecturer in Construction, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/simon-lockrey-207247">Simon Lockrey</a>, Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design and Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>

This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/only-a-small-fraction-of-buildings-with-flammable-cladding-have-been-fixed-and-owners-are-feeling-the-strain-157307">original article</a>.
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In Victoria alone, at least 71 buildings with flammable cladding have been classified as “extreme risk” and another 368 as “high risk”

urban.com.au

Only a small fraction of buildings with flammable cladding have been fixed, and owners are feeling the strain

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The NSW Parliament has received a list of 444 NSW buildings that are potentially clad in flammable material, however the public will not be notified.
The Department of Customer Service has said making the list public would increase the risk of arson and terrorism, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
The list includes buildings that have been confirmed to have combustible cladding and others that have been assessed as at risk by Fire and Rescue NSW but are awaiting a second assessment.
They suggest its public release could hurt property owners, potentially mislead the public and breach expectations of confidentiality.
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) has released a report 'Solving the National Construction Crisis' which identifies three key recommendations the Federal government should adopt to solve the national crisis in construction.
They suggest the Federal government should require jurisdictions to demonstrate informed purchaser capacity in delivery of projects they are funded for.
They believe a further $2.1 billion of tax payers money for defects and administrative costs could be saved is there's Federal intervention to harmonise construction laws nationally.
Their third suggestion is that Federal funding should be contingent on jurisdictions having an appropriate pre-qualification regime which accounts for past performance against safety, worker’s entitlements and wages and the delivery of government projects on time, and on-budget. 
CFMEU construction and general division national secretary Dave Noonan said ‘the real crisis in construction is industry and government failures, which have wasted billions and endangered lives.
“It has left consumers with cracked apartments, flammable cladding and governments that waste billions on delivering projects," Noonan said.
“Successive Federal and State governments have consistently failed to properly regulate the sector, and unfortunately its workers and home owners who are left to pick up the pieces.
“So far, the crisis has cost <a href="/news/cladding-cracks-and-shoddy-apartments-to-cost-australians-6-2-billion-to-repair-cfmeu">$6.2 billion in building defects, remediation and associated costs</a>, while a lack of expertise has seen Australian governments waste $10.8 billion in the last ten years.
“State governments simply don’t know what they’re doing because outsourcing has gone too far. This has led to massive infrastructure delays and costs blowouts.
“Instead of doing anything about these real issues, the Federal Government’s ‘Ensuring Integrity’ Bill will try to silence union leaders, lower safety standards, clamp rights at work and cut wages.  
“The only thing it ensures is fatter profits for property developers, lower wages and worse safety.
CFMEU research found that over 3,400 apartment buildings across Australia had defective, non-compliant combustible cladding installed, and would require remediation work to make the buildings safe.
Some of the remediation has been up to $165,000 per dwelling.
The Victorian Government <a href="/news/victorian-government-appoints-cladding-safety-ceo-and-proposes-new-apartment-designs">hired a cladding safety CEO</a> following the $600 million proposal to <a href="/news/federal-government-says-no-to-300-million-victorian-combustible-cladding-compensation">fix cladding issues across the state</a>.
  “While the problems with the building and construction sector may seem entrenched and overwhelming, the Federal Government retains important levers which could be used to help solve the crisis," Noonan added.
“We’ve carefully articulated why and how this national crisis in construction has emerged.
“Today we lay out three important steps the Federal Government could take to tackle this crisis.
“Australian governments, the private sector and unions collectively owe it to the community to come together and resolve the national crisis in construction.
“As always, the construction union stands ready to work with government and the private sector to tackle this vitally important task for the Australian people.
 
 
 
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wdavis-8cCN98p7xp

Cladding list of 444 NSW buildings to be kept secret

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Australia's building and construction crisis will cost $6.2 billion in remediation and associated costs, according to new research commissioned by the construction union.
The independent research, undertaken by Equity Economics and contained in the report 'Shaky Foundations: The National Construction Crisis', analysed the additional costs to owners of remediating water leaks, fire safety breaches, structural failure and combustible cladding and associated costs, in apartment buildings constructed within the last ten years.
The research also found that over 3,400 apartment buildings across Australia had defective, non-compliant combustible cladding installed, and would require remediation work to make the buildings safe.
CFMEU Construction and general division national secretary Dave Noonan said that the cost of Australia's building and construction crisis was now clear, and unfortunately often homeowners would likely be the ones to foot the majority of the bill.
"Australia's building and construction crisis will cost a staggering $6.2 billion to fix apartments they've already paid for."
"This includes the cost of remediating water leaks, fire safety breaches, structural failure and combustible cladding, and costs associated with increased insurance premiums, legal fees and alternative accommodation."
He added that in some cases, the costs of this remediation has been up to $165,000 per dwelling.
Australia's building and construction crisis was brought about by a range of factors the union has been raising concerns over for some time.
"This is the result of the construction industry's obsession with 'deregulation' at any cost, and poor oversight by government," Noonan added.
"It's the result of years of not enforcing building standards and of allowing industry to 'self-approve' with little or no oversight. Often, it has fallen on the union to blow the whistle."
Noonan also said that a national problem required a national solution and that the union was willing to work with government to resolve these important issues for the community.
"We'll be producing detailed policy solutions and will work with the Federal and State governments across Australia over the coming months. Now is the time to come together – not silence dissent," he concluded.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Cladding, cracks and shoddy apartments to cost Australians $6.2 billion to repair: CFMEU

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The Federal government has refused to give $300 million to help Victoria's efforts to replace combustable cladding on 500 at risk apartment blocks.
"It's a bit rich now for them or any state to say someone else has to fund a problem that they created," Industry Minister Karen Andrews told The Australian Financial Review.
Yesterday it was reported the Andrews government asked to get the Morrison government to match the $300 million that they have put aside for the remediation works.
It is understood that if the Morrison government said no, there would be an increase to the building permit levy over the next five years.
The new body, Cladding Safety Victoria, will oversee the fund and will be getting to work within the next few weeks on the 15 highest risk buildings.
<div class="block-content">
<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa">Planning Minister Richard Wynee said it's just as much about safety as it is about fairness for people who bought apartments in good faith and were let down by dodgy builders or dangerous building products.</div>
</div>
The move is among 35 recommendations made to the Victorian Government after 2,227 buildings had been inspected as of July 5.
Of those, seven percent were rated as an extreme risk, 40 percent a high risk and 38 per cent moderate risk.
The data, presented at an industry conference, showed one evacuation order had been issued for a private building.
Emergency orders for urgent works were made on 51 properties with building notices issued on a further 387. 
The 35 recommendations were made by the Victorian Cladding Taskforce, headed up by former Liberal premier Ted Baillieu and former Labor deputy premier John Thwaites.
 
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Federal government says no to $300 million Victorian combustible cladding compensation

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Victoria will spend $600 million to deal with the flammable cladding crisis on apartments across the state.
Around 500 buildings need rectification work to be made safe.
The state government are committing to $300 million from existing funds, but they are hoping the other $300 million will come from the Federal government.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison to ask for the funds to fix the issue.
If the Coalition don't match the $300 million that has been requested, funds will be sourced from an increase to the building permit levy over the next five years. 
<div class="block-content">
<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa">The new body, Cladding Safety Victoria, will oversee the fund and will be getting to work within the next few weeks on the 15 highest risk buildings.</div>
<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"> </div>
<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa">Planning Minister Richard Wynee said it's just as much about safety as it is about fairness for people who bought apartments in good faith and were let down by dodgy builders or dangerous building products.</div>
</div>
The move is among 35 recommendations made to the Victorian Government after 2,227 buildings had been inspected as of July 5.
Of those, 7 per cent were rated as an extreme risk, 40 per cent a high risk and 38 per cent moderate risk.
The data, presented at an industry conference, showed one evacuation order had been issued for a private building.
Emergency orders for urgent works were made on 51 properties with building notices issued on a further 387. 
The 35 recommendations were made by the Victorian Cladding Taskforce, headed up by former Liberal premier Ted Baillieu and former Labor deputy premier John Thwaites.
The ABC reported Daniel Andrews said the state was also examining ways to recover some of the costs from people and business "who had done the wrong thing".
It could include laws to punish dodgy providers and so-called "phoenix companies" that set up for only one project, then shut down and made it hard for people to sue them.
It has also flagged a plan that would see the Government assume the right to sue industry on behalf of residents because class actions had failed.
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Building permit levy to pay for half of Victoria's $600 million combustible cladding rectification

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The extent to which builders have used inflammable cladding on buildings in Australia and the UK has shocked us all since its discovery in the wake of a number of serious fires, including the tragedy at Grenfell Tower in London in June 2017.
The people with the highest level of concern are those who are living in these buildings - quite rightly they want the problem fixed, and fast.
But who should pay for the remediation work? It feels wrong for those who live there to be asked to fund a problem caused by someone else.
Even if Government pays doesn't that mean those who cut the corners in the first place get let off the hook rather than being held to account? Of course it does.
But waiting for those who are truly responsible to own up and do the right thing won't work either - some might, but many will at the very least prevaricate and instigate lengthy legal proceedings to argue the case. That leaves residents living in buildings they are deeply concerned about indefinitely. It's a real "Catch 22" - or is it?
The UK Government and now the Government of Victoria have recognised that public safety and restoration of public confidence must come first and have taken the decision to fund removal of cladding and remediation out of the public purse. But the battle to hold those to account must go on - through the courts if necessary to recoup as much as possible of that money.
It can't stop there either. In the last few years we have learned a great deal about the state of our buildings - particularly high rise high occupancy residential properties and what we've learned isn't pretty.
- Complex prescriptive regulations and guidance are not helpful - they lead to confusion, accidental and deliberate misinterpretation of the what is written down;
- Roles and responsibilities are also confused, and the system allows people to pass on problems to others in the system;
- The competency of large parts of the workforce is lacking which means they don't understand the importance of critical safety features they may be installing in a building and how they need to be installed to be effective;
- Even when enforcement action is taken against those who break the rules, the sanctions are so weak as to make it unlikely that lessons will be learned, and practices changed;
- Record keeping is poor which means that after a building is complete no one really knows whether it was built to design and if it is fit for purpose - why has this industry not engaged with what digital technology can do to change this so easily?
I repeat what I've been saying for more than two years now - this is about much more than cladding! We need to drive a massive culture change in the whole construction and built environment sectors that holds people accountable for designing, building, maintaining and managing buildings which are safe for people to live in throughout the full life cycle,
People - residents - must come first, they must have a voice to raise their concerns, they need to be listened to and the whole industry needs to be held to account for its responsibilities for their safety.
That will require substantive regulatory change in Australia just as it does here in the UK. A new regulatory system needs to drive the right behaviours, make responsibilities crystal clear, create significant penalties for those who flout the law and incentives for those who do the right thing.
We also need leaders within the construction industry to stand up and be counted. Those who do build with users in mind, those who understand that quality matters and have already implemented good practices should be recognised and become preferred suppliers.
The market needs to find a way to recognise the importance of quality which means changing procurement practices away from simply awarding the contract to the guy who bids the lowest cost.
The cost of building a high-rise block is a small part of the life cycle cost of the building - getting it right in the first place will lead to lower costs for the rest of the building's life and happier, safer residents. But above all such a culture change to accompany the much-needed regulatory changes is the only way to ensure that more lives are not lost in tragic fires or other catastrophes in our high-rise buildings.
Removing dangerous cladding is a very important first step on a long journey; let us not fall into the short termism trap of thinking we've fixed the problem when we've fixed the cladding.
Dame Judith Hackitt is a decorated British engineer who visited Australia in February as a guest of RMIT's School of Property, Construction and Project Management with support from the Victorian Building Association, the Institute of Chemical Engineers and the Future Fuels CRC. She presented to industry, government and community representatives about her Building a Safer Future final report. She is currently the Chair of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, which was commissioned by the British Government following the Grenfell Tower fire
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Who should pay for the remediation work? Cladding expert Dame Judith Hackitt

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Combustible cladding is set to be completely banned on all new Queensland buildings.
The Queensland Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni proposed the new regulation as part of a two-pronged approach to provide a lifeline to the State’s certifiers caught up in a shrinking insurance market.
The combustible cladding ban would extend to all aluminium composite panels with a PE core of greater than 30 per cent, and it would restrict usage across all buildings in Queensland.
Mr de Brenni said the proposals would help to protect Queenslanders, but called on the Commonwealth Government to protect Australians and introduce an importation ban on all aluminium composite panels with a PE core.
“I’ve made numerous calls on the Commonwealth to ban this combustible cladding at the border, they can’t keep dodging this responsibility to the people of Australia,” Mr de Brenni said.
“This is an opportunity to both reduce risk and back Australian manufacturing jobs, to which Prime Minister Scott Morrison should be jumping at the chance.
“And again, I call on Minister Karen Andrews to urgently address the issue at a national level, as the retraction of the insurance market has to be rectified by the Federal Treasury."
The proposals discussed at yesterday's meeting include also requiring certifiers to declare that combustible cladding hasn’t been used, and that there hasn’t been any product substitution during the construction process.
The other key solution to help certifiers proposed by the Queensland Government during the industry meeting, was to allow certifiers to remain licensed while they are holding professional indemnity (PI) insurance featuring cladding related exclusions.
Mr de Brenni said the ban on combustible cladding paved the way for the Queensland Government to allow certifiers to hold PI insurance with exclusions.
“By banning combustible cladding on new construction in Queensland, it means there doesn’t need to be an expense for certifiers in the form of exclusion free insurance,” Mr de Brenni said.
“However, allowing insurance with exclusions is a time-limited solution that provides the industry with immediate confidence to continue operating.
“These proposals are designed to ensure that jobs growth in Queensland doesn’t slow and construction industry practitioners continue to remain in the industry.
“We’ve already seen insurers attempting to cut and run from the market by withdrawing their insurance products and that means they escape their obligations, and that’s not on.
“This has put at risk hundreds of thousands of jobs in the sector and it’s got the potential to impact homeowners who would be left holding the can if they have to pursue litigation with dodgy buildings.
“Certifiers provide a level of protection for homeowners and we need to keep them in the industry.
“It means that as of today, the 400 licensed certifiers in Queensland will continue to be able to work tomorrow, and that means our record on job creation will continue, however subject to stringent conditions.
“The restrictions are part of the immediate term resolution of the issues to be followed by a suite of longer term system reform approaches including continuing to pursue a national ban on the importation of dodgy cladding.
“Prime Minister Morrison has a chance here to help rebuild confidence in the industry and back in local manufacturing jobs by banning dodgy cladding that fails community standards, but in the meantime we will have to impose extra requirements on the sector.”
Yesterday's proposals followed a number of weeks’ discussion with industry leaders on solutions to the certifier insurance issue.
A PricewaterhouseCoopers report released by the Palaszczuk Government yesterday shines a light on the effects caused by the deregulation of the Australian construction industry.
“Building industry professionals, from architects, to engineers and building certifiers, plus developers, play a pivotal role in ensuring that the built environment is safe and fit-for-purpose."
Mr de Brenni said PwC’s analysis showed the issue was not limited to Queensland, but a national issue affecting the building industry in all states and territories.
“Queensland has continued to work with industry on this issue,” he said. “I am committed to ensuring the viability of Queensland’s building and construction industry and am invested in ensuring the most appropriate and considered approach is taken to this situation.
“Queensland has led the way on behalf of the Building Ministers’ Forum for permanent labelling of  aluminium composite panels, reducing the issues found through investigations around product substitution.
“But whilst Queensland leads the nation with building industry reforms, there is still more work to be done.”
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Combustible cladding banned on all new Queensland buildings

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The Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says the government is on the verge of unveiling a “substantial” package of reforms to tackle the cladding issue.
It will possibly include “quite extraordinary” new laws to try to recoup money from builders who used dangerous materials.
"There will have to be taxpayers' money, there will have to be government allocations."
"There can potentially be some money — some — recovered from those who have done this, have basically committed these errors and have used this dodgy product," he said.
"We've had a situation where a whole range of phoenix companies, they exist for the purposes of building that particular building, and then they're gone at law afterwards," Mr Andrews said.
"We don't rule out making some legislative changes so that we can go out after some of these phoenix companies."
Mr Andrews acknowledged unit owners had been "basically stranded" and unable to sell their properties while investigations were ongoing.
Andrews confirmed the government would set up a <a href="/news/cladding-safety-victoria-to-be-established-by-andrews-government">new agency called Cladding Safety Victoria</a>, which is billed as a one-stop-shop for advice and assistance.
The government’s reforms will be unveiled in the coming weeks as it waits on the final report from the state’s cladding taskforce.
It is more than four years since flammable cladding ­fuelled a blaze at the Lacrosse building in Docklands.
Meanwhile the Herald Sun reported the rogue developers who illegally demolished the historic Corkman Pub have built at least two apartment complexes with flammable cladding.
The Opposition says the “Corkman cowboys” must be prevented from working in the industry.
The Herald Sun revealed that a 200-apartment development in Lygon St, Brunswick East, has been assessed as a “moderate risk” because of the use of flammable cladding.
It was developed by Makshaq, with company records showing Raman Shaqiri and Stefce Kutlesovski are directors.
The same company is behind another apartment block in Hawthorn that was inspected in April and had emergency rectification orders issued in May.
Australia's peak insurance body says there are no plans to increase property ­premiums on the back of the combustible cladding row.
The Insurance Council Australia has called for a nationwide solution.
After Victoria confirmed its number of affected buildings was 800 plus, and some 450 in NSW as "high risk," the Strata Community Association president Andrew Chambers said the Federal Government had to step up.
The Australian Financial Review reported the dire state of Australia's professional indemnity insurance market for building certifiers and surveyors was revealed in confidential research by PwC showing the sector has been unprofitable since 2011, with nearly $3.43 paid out in claims for every $1 received.
The ABC reported recently the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews told a Property Council lunch that the state had stepped in as an insurer of last resort in the past for other sectors. 
"I am very much aware of how real this issue is," Mr Andrews said. 
But the problem, he said, was not unique to Victoria.
"The feds should be involved, that would be good, but we won't let anybody be uninsured. There are some steps we can take," Mr Andrews said.
 
 
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Victoria considers laws to recoup money from dangerous cladding builders

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The Andrews Government is set to establish Cladding Safety Victoria.
It will oversee the removal of combustible cladding from buildings to make them safe.
The word of the new government body emerged on 3AW, which did not advise on the means of the funding of the removal.
Property Observer gathers Cladding Safety Victoria (CSV) will act as a "one-stop-shop for advice and assistance to the community in relation to the removal of combustible cladding."
It will provide funding for owners to help them fix their building’s cladding by providing guidance, funding and connections to the right experts who can fix their buildings.
It will select the buildings for rectification after an expert panel review with recommendations made to the Municipal Building Surveyor.
It will support building owners by providing funding for:
<ul>
<li>Project Management support</li>
<li>Draughts people or Architectural Services</li>
<li>Building Surveying</li>
<li>Permits and approvals</li>
<li>Building materials and work</li>
</ul>
It is not known if there will be a levy on the building industry to fund the new government section within the Victorian Building Authority.
Initial emergency orders have been issued on some apartment blocks. The rectification is likely to take up to six years before all apartments are deemed safe.
Currently the rectification process centres around the implementation of Cladding Rectification Agreements (CRAs), a three-way voluntary agreement between an owner or owners corporation, lender and council to fund cladding rectification works. The lender will loan the funds to an owner or owners corporation and loan repayments will be made over time through the council rates system.
There is a cladding taskforce currently seeking to review the extent of the problem after Melbourne’s Lacrosse apartment towers caught fire in 2014.
The Lacrosse block was completed in 2012. LU Simon was ordered to pay $5.7 million to the owners of apartments of the Lacrosse tower earlier this year.
Initially up to 1400 Victorian buildings could have reportedly had potentially dangerous panelling according to the Victorian Cladding Taskforce, chaired by former premier Ted Baillieu and former deputy premier John Thwaites.
Created in 2017 after the London Grenfell fire, it is set to report in coming weeks.
The taskforce audit inspected 1,800 buildings and already identified 71 as "extreme" risk and 368 as "high" risk.
There are around 800 on the list with the search still underway. The cladding has been used by builders for the past two decades.
The councils with the most apartment blocks at risk are:
<table id="cladding-map-data" class="dataTable no-footer"><tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Moreland City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">145</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Melbourne City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">64</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Port Phillip City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">59</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Monash City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">55</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Stonnington City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">41</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Glen Eira City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">35</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Greater Dandenong City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">30</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Boroondara City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">28</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Bayside City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">22</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Yarra City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">22</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Moonee Valley City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">21</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Darebin City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">19</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Banyule City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">17</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Knox City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">16</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Kingston City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">11</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Frankston City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">8</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Manningham City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">8</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Surf Coast Shire</td>
<td class="sorting_1">8</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Whittlesea City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">8</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Wyndham City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">8</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Casey City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Maribyrnong City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Greater Geelong City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Hobsons Bay City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Maroondah City</td>
<td class="sorting_1">5</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
There was a fire in early 2019 at the <a href="/news/fire-at-neo200-spencer-street-melbourne-reignites-apartment-cladding-concerns">Neo200 Spencer Street building</a> which was a significant incident which had the potential to be very serious.
In Victoria, residents have a 10-year period to claim on the builders' warranty under the Domestic Building Contracts Act. 
The Victorian Government has previously budgeted money to fix government buildings with combustible cladding, but not private dwellings.
It has been estimated the removal costs across Australia could be of the order of $6.8 billion.
 
 
 
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