MICK Gentleman says new regulations for the removal of asbestos have been passed by the Legislative Assembly.

“These changes close a loop-hole in the system, where-by removal of walls, ceilings and the like which contain asbestos were not covered under relevant builder licensing laws,” Mick said.

“The changes in the bill ensure that any building work warranting a licensed builder’s expertise or supervision, that involve asbestos removal, now fall under the scope of licensed building work.”

“Investigations relating to Mr Fluffy houses revealed asbestos can be in the infrastructure of a building. In such cases getting rid of the asbestos requires the removal of infrastructure that could be critical to the structural integrity of the building.

“An asbestos removalist’s licence does not require the licensee to have the specialist knowledge required to safely remove a building’s critical infrastructure.

“A builder’s licence does require this specialist knowledge but under the construction occupation licensing laws, a builder’s licence did not allow the handling of asbestos.

“Under the new regulations, if asbestos removal involves critical building work, a licensed asbestos removalist can do the work but must either be a licensed builder, or be supervised by one.

“The legislative changes were prompted by changes late last year that moved asbestos licensing provisions to the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011, falling in line with other jurisdictions.

“The Government will continue to introduce measures that protect the safety of the community and all those who work within it,” Minister Gentleman concluded.