Expert Witness (Cladding) – Bubup Nairm Childcare
171 Chapel Street, St Kilda VIC 3182 (2022 – 2024)
Proceeding: S ECI 2021/01420 – Port Philip City Council vs McKenzie Group Consulting (Vic) Pty Ltd & Ors
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Status: was before the Supreme Court of Victoria – settled in July 2024
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Tony’s role: expert witness for Port Philip City Council (the owner), engaged and instructed by Maddocks.
Description: The building has two storeys above ground which are used as a Childcare Centre. It also has a basement car parking level which is interconnected with the nearby Town Hall building. The combustible cladding included timber plywood and a small amount of aluminium composite panels (ACP).
Tony was instructed to provide an opinion on whether the combustible cladding was compliant and on the conduct of the fire engineer involved in the base-building design. He issued an expert report in December 2022 and attended an expert conclave in January 2024. The matter settled in July 2024.