The NSW Government’s Project Remediate, which sees eligible buildings with flammable cladding able to have the materials replaced, is still in a holding pattern, with not one of the 166 buildings registered for the scheme yet to be rectified.
With last week marking five years since the Grenfell Tower fire, the need to replace flammable materials has become urgent. Project Remediate offers interest-free 10-year loans to multi-residential buildings that need retrofitting.
"It's been five lost years for NSW apartment owners and residents," says NSW Shadow Better Regulations Minister Courtney Housso in an interview with Channel 9.
Victoria had its own fire-related incident in 2019 with the middle floors of Spencer Street’s Neo200 building going up in flames. Thankfully no one was injured, but it sparked the Victorian Government into action. 154 apartments have already had materials replaced with another 54 currently being remediated.
The scheme adopted by the Andrews Government sees it assist building owners in paying for the costs to re-clad. The NSW opposition believes the model should be utilised in the state as opposed to the loam scheme.
"We're calling on the NSW Government in the budget next week to provide financial support for apartment owners and residents to remove flammable cladding," Housso says.
The NSW Strata Community Association (SCA) has called for patience, with works anticipated to begin in August.
"I understand that it's been frustrating for a lot of consumers, however it is a very complicated project," SCA President Stephen Brell says.
