The double dissolution of Federal Parliament may have put an end to the crucial Senate inquiry into non-confirming building products for now. But the message from the Economics References Committee is clear – this important piece of work must be finished or the safety of Australians is at risk.

Its interim report concludes there has been a serious breakdown in regulation and oversight in Australia “which requires determined action”.

“Given the seriousness of the problem, the various areas of glaring weakness in the regulatory regime, including the certification process, and the disjointed regulation of the use of building products, both manufactured in Australia and overseas, the committee has formed the view that it should continue its inquiry.”

The report details a spate of dangerous non-conforming or non-compliant products including flammable building cladding, defective electrical cabling, and asbestos.

The inquiry heard much evidence related to the Lacrosse building fire in Melbourne in November 2014, which was fuelled by non-compliant cladding imported from China that was not tested to Australian standards.

Adam Dalrymple, Director of Fire Safety for the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, told the committee he had not seen anything like it in 31 years of firefighting.

“The fire started on a balcony from an unextinguished cigarette – an innocuous type of thing, you would think. This set fire to the cladding, and the panelling itself allowed the fire to travel the full extent of the building – 23 levels – in 11 minutes.

“We have grave concerns about the use of non-compliant product and that it may result in disastrous loss of life, and we cannot tell you when the next event is going to happen.”

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission told the inquiry faulty electrical cabling, including the recalled Infinity brand, is in thousands of homes and businesses.

“Time is running out before the cables become a fire or electrocution risk.”

The Asbestos Eradication and Safety Agency warned that despite a ban on the use of asbestos products in 2003, they were being routinely imported.

This includes products declared “asbestos free” but which subsequent tests revealed contained the potentially deadly material.

The report says an “array of compelling evidence” provided to the committee suggests the use of non-comforming products is on the rise across all industry sectors.

A significant proportion are coming from overseas, and the committee says it has “major concerns” over the ability of Australia’s enforcement agencies to effectively police the nation’s borders.

“At the moment, this area of enforcement appears to require substantial strengthening and should be a high priority for government,” it says.

The committee says a co-ordinated national approach is required to address the complex issues around non-conforming building products.

It says the federal, state and territory governments should take “definitive action”.

But any such action is on hold, along with the inquiry, until after July 2.

However, the committee’s message is clear. The work must go on or lives will be lost.

Frightening gaps in the system have been exposed, and they must be addressed or the Australian public, governments, businesses and insurers will be left counting the cost.