A Building Defects Campaign in the Australian Capital

Canberra and the people in Canberra (our nations capital) lead Australia.  And, in strata title it’s no different.

Like everywhere else in StrataLand the strata buildings, committees and managers in Canberra have serious problems with building defects, getting them fixed by builders and developers and recovering compensation.

But, the Owner Corporation Network ACT is doing something about it.  They’re using the political strategies that are common in Canberra to get reform and action (and it’s starting work).

Since November 2009 the Owners Corporation Network ACT has been actively engaging the Government and the local media on the serious issue of poor building quality in the ACT Unit Title Medium and High Density Housing Sector. Some of the things that have happened include –

• the OCN initially wrote to Minister Barr on 25 November 2009 requesting a meeting on building defects
• the Minister met with the OCN on 5^th February 2010
• the Minister wrote to the OCN ACT on 30 April 2010 provided a partial summary of this meeting
• OCN ACT then participated in an ABC Stateline Programme on 21 May 2010
• the ABC programme generated additional media attention including articles and Canberra Times letters to the editor, radio interviews
• OCN ACT also meet with Green and Liberal MLAs
• on 26 May 2010 the OCN submitted a written request to Chief ACT Minister Jon Stanhope to commission a Judicial Inquiry into building defects and associated issues in the ACTT
• on 7 June 2010 Minister Barr wrote to the OCN (and other stakeholders in this living sector) outlining 11 ideas to address the building quality issues and asking for comments
• OCN ACT replied on 30 June 2010
• OCN ACT also met with ACT Planning and Land Authority again on 13 July 2010
• the Minister of Planning held a Building Quality Forum on 26 July 2010 at the ACT Legislative Assembly chaired by Minister Barr and involving 30 individuals including senior people representing the building industry from interstate, Canberra based representatives of the Real Estate Industry, Insurance Industry, Property Development Group, Trade Training Organisations and several Government Agencies and the OCN ACT

It’s solid work by strata citizens and you can find out more and see the OCN ACT’s material here.

Well done OCN ACT and see you at the next political rally about poor quality building.

Francesco …