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Queensland backs flammable cladding ban

The Queensland Government says it will push for a national ban on aluminium composite panels with a flammable polyethylene core when it hosts the Building Ministers’ Forum in Brisbane next month.

The Senate inquiry into non-compliant building products proposed a “total ban” on the material in its interim report, but insurers and experts criticised this as treating the symptoms and not the underlying problem.

However, Queensland Housing and Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni says it is “common sense”.

“The Palaszczuk government is banning the use of any [polyethylene] cladding material from government construction, even for uses that comply with the current construction code,” he said. “I think it’s only prudent to take this approach across the rest of the country.

“Commonwealth, state and territory building ministers will gather in Brisbane in two weeks, and Queensland will be strongly backing a ban on these products.”

The Property Council of Australia is also supporting the ban “for the sake of public confidence”.

“Current codes allow this product to be used safely within appropriate fire safety systems, engineered and signed off by fire safety experts,” CEO Ken Morrison said.

“However, we share the same desire as government to prioritise public safety in light of valid concerns about the use of [polyethylene] cladding.”