It isn’t hard to forget the dual evacuations of the Opal Tower residents in Sydney Olympic Park in late December 2018. Today the Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Matt Kean announced a new set of reforms which will be brought into action.
The reforms which were announced on Sunday, include the appointment of a Building Commissioner who will become the consolidated building regulator in NSW.
These new changes to the construction process will offer clear planning for reforms in the industry, according to the Property Council of Australia.
Property Council NSW Executive Director Jane Fitzgerald said, that these reforms have been considered and constructed from the recommendations in the Sherigold Weir Report.
“It would be a mistake to have a Building Commissioner acting as a ‘second approver’ and doubling up on giving the tick to the design plans of a building.”
“This would require a huge resourcing commitment, will further slow an already snail-like planning process and not address the real issue- that being the process of construction rather than the final approval of the design.”
“No doubt the release of the final report into the Opal Tower will also influence the final design of these reforms and will provide an important insight into where the problems occurred in the construction process in that instance.” Ms Fitzgerald said earlier today.
