Following the 2019 NSW State Election, as expected a new Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, the Hon Kevin Anderson, MP, has been appointed.
The Minister is the Member for Tamworth and has been in NSW Parliament since 2010. According to his biography he has a strong interest in community issues and has spent time as a Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Roads and Transport. The Hon Matt Kean, MP, has moved into the Energy and Environment Ministry and we continue to have strong support from Minister Kean from his extensive experience and exposure to strata during his time as Minister.
SCA (NSW) has written to the new Minister congratulating him on his new portfolio and outlining who we are and what we represent. A meeting with him has been sought as soon as possible to enable SCA (NSW) to detail its five-year vision for the NSW strata sector.
The organisation continues to reinforce that it wants to see the NSW Government deliver dedicated policy on priority issues affecting millions of residents during this next term.
SCA (NSW) has pointed out that it is vital for the two million NSW residents living in strata properties that issues like flammable cladding, building defects, imported building materials and urban regeneration are met with some forward-thinking plans.
The key policy objectives are to seek:
- a 5-year plan from the State Government to progress strata property and consumer rights in NSW
- Recent rapid growth has hamstrung quality control processes
- Needs a specific focus on ensuring development doesn’t come at a cost for those involved, with a key focus on reducing the cost of defects on consumers
- Root and stem review of the development life cycle, with a focus on consumer and lot owner rights involving a total review of the legislative regime of building construction, compliance and ongoing rights
- the creation of a new portfolio specific to issues of Sydney’s urban renewal
- Portfolio tasked with enforcing major design, liveability and quality mandates
- Key responsibility from development through to post completion consumer rights
- provide a subsidised loan scheme for cladding rectification
- A $100Million loan package. Government backed loan scheme to ensure affected buildings can cover rectification costs
- undertake a supply chain audit, imported products
- SCA (NSW) wants State Government to push Federal counterparts to introduce stronger import controls
- Too many unsafe products slipping through the cracks- cladding, wiring, building materials
SCA (NSW) has said that it supports industry working groups being formed and education initiatives established over the coming months to address these important issues. Further SCA (NSW) has indicated the belief that it can be instrumental in achieving the best outcomes for the sector.
Further, as part of its broader government relations and engagement strategy SCA (NSW) has written to all MP’s in high density strata electorates and provided the same overview of SCA (NSW)’s objectives, seeking meetings and ensuring the momentum we have built over many years through close collaboration with the NSW Government can continue.
SCA (NSW) will report back directly to members and via the website once a meeting with the Minister has occurred and what the next steps are.