A Senate Inquiry has recommended that Aluminium Cladding Panels (ACP’s) with a polyethylene core should be banned from import to Australia. We agree.
The cost differential between combustible panels and non combustible panels is approximately 6%. ($50 per square metre vs $53 per square metre). Safer panels should attract a lower insurance premium and over a number of years they effectively pay for themselves.
While the ACT Government says that very few buildings (such as the …Centenary Hospital) have been found with the combustible panels, the fact is that their audit to date has only concentrated on government owned buildings. The audit process needs to extend to privately owned buildings.
The Senate Inquiry Report can be found here:
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/Non-conforming45th