In late January and February 2009 a series of devastating bushfires swept through parts of Victoria resulting in significant loss of life. Subsequently, the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission (VBRC) was established to investigate the cause and responses to bushfires. The VBRC delivered an Interim Report in August 2009 and a Final Report in July 2010. The Final Report contained 67 recommendations with Recommendation 48 being directed at the ABCB.
Recommendation 48 proposed that the ABCB –
- amend the performance requirements in the BCA to ensure that they incorporate reducing the risk of ignition from ember attack;
- work with Standards Australia to expedite the review and ongoing development of AS 3959, Construction of Buildings in Bushfire-prone Areas, and other bushfire-related standards referred to in the BCA;
- negotiate with Standards Australia and SAI Global Ltd an arrangement for free online access to AS 3959-2009, the other Australian standards referred to in AS 3959, and any other bushfire-related Standards referred to in the BCA;
- amend the BCA to remove Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions for the construction of buildings in BAL-FZ; and
- include in the BCA bushfire construction provisions for non-residential buildings that will be occupied by people who are particularly vulnerable to bushfire attack, such as schools, child care centres, hospitals and aged care facilities.
In response to Recommendation 48, the ABCB -
- published a ‘Performance Standard for Private Bushfire Shelters’;
- propose to amend the NCC Volume One and Two Performance Requirements to ensure they incorporate a requirement to reduce the risk of ignition from ember attack;
- is working with Standards Australia to expedite the review and ongoing development of AS 3959, Construction of Buildings in Bushfire-prone Areas, and other bushfire-related standards referred to in the NCC; and
- is negotiating with Standards Australia and SAI Global Ltd regarding access to AS 3959-2009.
Work is continuing on the other parts of Recommendation 48.