Faulty building products and materials are being eyed by the Coalition Government in an effort to protect Australians from the rise in non-conforming products entering the market.
Addressing national building industry leaders, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry Bob Baldwin spoke of the dangers associated with faulty products.
“Families building a new home or renovating their home should be able to have confidence that their dream build is being completed to the highest standards with the best quality products,” Mr Baldwin said.
“I have called this meeting today to develop an action strategy with industry to stop these unsafe practices from occurring.”
The Coalition’s focus comes after a rise in recalls and incidents relating to faulty products.
In April 2014 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) negotiated the recall of Infinity electrical cables with eighteen retailers. An estimated 40,000 homes, commercial and residential buildings were affected.
“The supply chain for building products and materials should provide certainty to home builders and contractors that the products on the shelf are fit for purpose,” Kristin Brookfield, a spokesperson for the Housing Industry Association, said.
“By ensuring that the products available for sale meet the right standards, the risk to builders, contractors and home owners can be minimised.”
Ms Brookfield said a big issue with the rise in faulty products comes down to the fact consumers are ultimately the ones left to decide whether a product is good or bad.
“This shouldn’t be the case. The responsibility for making sure products comply should rest with the manufacturers, suppliers and importers. They should be responsible for proving to the buyer that their products are fit for purpose and be willing to back up their products with ongoing after sales support,” Ms Brookfield said.
“This is an increasing problem for the whole building industry, and no one wants to see a significant or catastrophic failure occur. It’s time that all levels of government worked together to seriously address the issue.”
A recent survey by the Australian Industry Group revealed 92 per cent of builders had been offered faulty materials or products to purchase.
