2016-08-16
Ms DUNN (Eastern Metropolitan) — My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Planning. Boris and Lana Zaitsen of Caulfield North commenced building their home at 20 Cromwell Street in 2011. This was meant to be a sanctuary for the couple because Lana Zaitsen is suffering from a terminal illness and wanted to live out her remaining years in a purposebuilt family home. However, their dream of building such a home has turned into a nightmare. The Zaitsens have been left with a shell of a building not fit for human habitation. They are one of the many victims of negligent operators and a poor regulatory framework for building construction in the state of Victoria.
Buying a house for most people is the single biggest purchase they will ever make in their life. Building a new house is the biggest project many people will undertake. It should not be an endeavour dogged by a lack of safeguards and protections. It should not be so risky that it can lead to financial ruin and a massive emotional and physical toll. The Victorian Building Authority has failed the Zaitsens. It has failed to take meaningful action on allegations of misconduct by the builder and the building surveyor. There need to be stricter regulations and penalties for builders and subcontractors to improve the quality of residential construction. Building warranty insurance — a grand word that is not lived up to by the terms of the product — failed the Zaitsens. In other states such products cover more items and are compulsory.
This saga has played out for over five long years. I call on the minister to take action to provide whatever support is possible to the Zaitsens in what is an unspeakably bad situation they find themselves in, at no fault of their own.