Health service to be praised

THE city’s health service is to be commended about the transparency over combustible cladding issues at one of Cairns Hospital’s buildings.

The cladding on D and E blocks have been fire tested by the Cairns and Hinterland Health Service.

The testing found that panels of E block, which includes a carpark and the Liz Plummer Cancer Centre, contained high levels of flammable polythene (PE) and will be replaced by the State Government without touching the stretched coffers of the health service.

The cladding of block D, which contains many high-level care wards, was also tested and contains “acceptably low levels of PE and is therefore a very low fire risk”.

Work replacing the E block materials starts early next year with the plan to minimise disruption as much as possible.

At the time of construction of E block it was believed the cladding met current fire rating standards.

The concerns over cladding in public and other buildings have been raised following the tragic fatal Grenfell Tower in London last year which killed 72 people.

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission has sent letters to 735 building owners in the Cairns Regional Council area about their potentially flammable panels.

One of the most high-profile cladding issues has been with the council’s new $71 million performing arts centre.

The council attempted to cover up the problem by withholding a report, even from councillors.

If the council had been more open over the issue, there would have been far less controversy. Nick Dalton Deputy editor