Victoria has set up a taskforce to investigate the extent of non-compliant cladding on buildings following the Lacrosse block fire in Docklands and the Grenfell Tower disaster in London.

The taskforce will be jointly chaired by former Liberal Party premier and architect Ted Baillieu and former Labor Party deputy premier and planning minister John Thwaites.

“We’re bringing together the key agencies to better detect and address the issue of materials used in a non-compliant way,” Planning Minister Richard Wynne said.

“The Commonwealth has to play a more active role, too. We’ll keep pushing the Federal Government to better detect non-conforming products entering Australia.”

Victoria has already assessed 220 buildings after an audit and later investigations of buildings fitted with cladding. The buildings have been declared safe to occupy, but many do not comply with regulations.

The Government says the taskforce will oversee the continuing audit, to identify where cladding has been used inappropriately and ensure buildings are rectified more quickly.

It will also make recommendations on how to improve compliance and enforcement of building regulations to better protect occupants.

WorkSafe Victoria, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, the Victorian Building Authority, Municipal Association of Victoria and Emergency Management Victoria will be represented on the taskforce.

A stakeholder reference group including building unions, the Master Builders Association of Victoria and the Housing Industry Association will also be established.

The issue gained prominence in Melbourne in 2014, after fire rapidly climbed the Lacrosse apartment building in the central city, fuelled by cladding imported from China and not tested to Australian standards.

At least 80 people died in London’s Grenfell Tower fire last month, with the rapid spread of the blaze also partly attributed to cladding.

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