Cladding Safety Victoria's Annual Work Program 2025-26

Cladding Safety Victoria’s Annual Work Program for 2025–26 has a special significance because it details the activities that will achieve the successful completion of the task for which the agency was created.

By mid-next year, every privately owned residential apartment building referred to CSV or discovered by it, as well as a range of government owned buildings, will either have had cladding removed or risk assessed and provided with appropriate advice and assistance. For residential buildings, this includes all unacceptable-risk, elevated-risk and low-risk buildings.

To date, CSV has resolved the cladding risk on more than 1,400 buildings, including more than 1,290 private residential Class 2 buildings and 130 government-owned buildings such as public schools, public hospitals and health facilities, sporting and recreational facilities, among others.

Of the 450 high-risk buildings with projects funded by CSV for cladding removal and replacement works, more than 400 are already complete – equating to more than 20,000 individual apartments and more than 38,000 Victorians who are now safer as a result.

Additional to the work on the high-risk buildings, CSV has collaborated with owners and local government Municipal Buildings Surveyors (MBSs) to resolve cladding issues on hundreds of lower-risk buildings, the vast majority at low or no cost to the owners or the state.

These outcomes have been made possible by the decision of government to adopt an appropriate and proportionate response to cladding risk. The Protocols for Mitigating Cladding Risk (PMCR), backed by Minister’s Guideline 15 (MG-15) have enabled a consistent approach to be applied to all impacted residential buildings. This comprehensive approach has reduced the instances of eager building practitioners overstating the cladding risk and imposing unnecessary costs on building owners.

CSV’s work is centred on direct engagement with building owners, amounting to tens of thousands of hours of discussion, explanation and progress updates. This has been an essential part of CSV’s success to date and is a strong element of this Annual Work Program 2025–26.

CSV will continue its commitment to the highest quality and safety standards while completing its task. The Clerk of Works program has prevented hundreds of potential safety hazards through thousands of recorded safety observations. In early 2025, CSV released a report calculating the impact of the Clerk of Works program, which is estimated to have saved almost $100 million through both quality and safety observations.

A lynch pin to the successful program delivery to date are the processes and controls that have been crucial to build and sustain a high level of organisational performance. This has happened because of our effective resource management, comprehensive risk systems and robust financial governance. These are outlined in this document.

The Annual Work Program 2025–26 ensures we have robust planning to not only complete the program in full, but also the operational practices and staff in place right through until the end. More detail can be found in Outcome 2.

The Victorian Government’s decision to intervene directly to solve the problem of combustible cladding has changed lives and led the world. Much has been learned, and those learnings are being preserved in a series of research papers and contributions to policy reforms that will endure long after the successful completion of the cladding rectification program.

Dan O'Brien

Chief Executive Officer

Cladding Safety Victoria

The object of our organisation, as stated in the Cladding Safety Victoria Act 2020 (Vic) (the Act), is to support Victorians to rectify non-compliant or non-conforming external wall cladding products on buildings to improve the safety of those buildings.

Under CSV’s legislation, the organisation has a clear remit to administer the rectification program through prioritising buildings, determining eligibility for assistance, and supporting owners corporations and government departments throughout the process and monitoring works.

The annual work program outlines the projects, initiatives and performance targets which are in place to deliver the organisation’s strategic plan.

The strategic plan, which is endorsed by the CSV Board and approved by the Minister for Housing and Building, specifies how the organisation will deliver the objective of the organisation as specified by the Act and the Ministerial Letter of Expectations.

This is the fifth annual work program to the delivered under the 2021–26 CSV Strategic Plan.

The annual work program provides a one-year view of the projects, initiatives and performance targets to be delivered under the strategic plan and forms the basis for formal reporting to the CSV Board and to the public through CSV’s annual report.

Strategic Plan

The structure of the strategic plan reflects the Victorian Government Outcomes Framework. The diagram below outlines the elements of the strategic plan and their purpose.

A high-level overview of the strategic plan is provided below. Details of the indicators, measures, outputs and strategic initiatives that sit beneath each outcome are presented in the following sections.

CSV is committed to providing clear pathways for all buildings referred to it, whether they are deemed eligible for funding or not. These pathways are determined by a comprehensive assessment of the degree of risk presented by the amount and type of cladding on each building. For all buildings that are assessed as having a level of risk that requires mitigation, CSV works intensively with a range of stakeholders – including MBSs, owners and owners corporations – to develop high-quality and cost-effective solutions that effectively reduce cladding risk to an acceptable level.

Outcome Indicator and Measure

Our progress towards achieving this outcome will be measured through the following outcome indicator and measures.

Outputs

Rectification of unacceptable-risk buildings

CSV works closely with owners and owners corporations to deliver cladding rectification works for unacceptable-risk residential buildings, which are prioritised through a risk framework for inclusion in the funded rectification program. CSV’s oversight of the program ensures that projects are delivered to high-level quality and safety standards and that value-for-money outcomes maximise the impact of the state’s investment. Stakeholder engagement is based on active case management in accordance with established practices to ensure each owners corporation is allocated a dedicated CSV officer to provide all currently available information, advice and support.

What will we deliver in 2025–26?

By the end of 2025–26, works will be complete on all unacceptable-risk Class 2 buildings in the CSV program. Delivery of this final cohort of buildings will be supported by CSV’s quality assurance processes and site safety oversight, which is implemented through the clerk of works program and regular CSV staff site inspections. In addition, CSV will continue to meet with owners corporations to ensure that they are supported through the rectification process and will continue to provide regular information about fire safety and essential safety measures.

Elevated-risk building works proposals

Extensive cladding removal is not required in all circumstances to reduce risk to an acceptable level. CSV’s world-leading risk-reduction framework and supporting evidence base was publicly released in 2023–24 and is underpinned by extensive research and testing. For elevated-risk buildings, technical experts – including engineers, building surveyors, architects and fire safety advisers – assess buildings against identified parameters within the framework to identify interventions that will effectively mitigate cladding risk. CSV then works with MBSs and owners corporations to reach agreement on a package of works that achieve the desired risk-reduction goal.

What will we deliver in 2025–26?

CSV will complete assessments for all elevated-risk buildings and identify interventions that reduce cladding risk to an acceptable level. To develop the remediation work proposals for these buildings, CSV will consult with MBSs to ensure that risk reduction works, once implemented by owners corporations, will address cladding-related issues that are or could be the subject of enforcement notices. The remediation work proposals provided to owners corporations contain sufficient information to allow them to implement the proposed scope of works.

Low-risk and out-of-scope building risk confirmation

Some buildings referred to CSV do not meet the program’s eligibility requirements – for example, they may be an ineligible class of building or less than three storeys high. For other buildings, the risk posed by combustible cladding is assessed at a level so low that mitigating actions are not considered to be required. CSV assesses all buildings and liaises with MBSs as required to ensure that owners corporations are provided with clarity about the cladding risk associated with their building – which can also be provided to insurance companies – and the status of their building in relation to CSV’s program.

What will we deliver in 2025–26?

CSV will finalise its evaluation of all low-risk buildings and discuss with MBSs the basis of CSV’s assessment, with a view to reaching agreement on the risk rating. Where engagement has already commenced with owners corporations of low-risk buildings, they will receive a notification about the agreed rating and confirmation that no further action is required to address the risk posed by external combustible cladding. All low-risk buildings and those identified as being out‑of-scope for CSV’s program will be formally discharged to support close-out of the overall program.

Other in-scope buildings

In addition to privately owned residential buildings of three or more storeys, a select number of other residential and public-use properties that may have combustible cladding fall within the scope of CSV’s program. These include short-term accommodation buildings, such as boarding houses, and other buildings of a public nature in which people may gather for social or civil purposes, such as child-care and aged-care centres, hospitals and universities.

What will we deliver in 2025–26?

The varied nature of these buildings, and Class 9 buildings in particular, requires a customised approach. Cladding risk assessments for all buildings within these classes that are referred to CSV will be completed in accordance with tailored risk evaluation methodologies that take into account the vulnerability of the users.

Output Measures

The effectiveness of our delivery will be monitored through the following measures.

Note: All targets are cumulative
* This is an annual measure

2025–26 State Budget Performance Measure

CSV will also track and report on the following measure from the 2025–26 State Budget.

Strategic Initiative

Expand the available body of knowledge about building sector issues and risks to support improvements to the safety and quality of Victoria’s built environment

CSV has gathered a significant collection of information and data about numerous aspects of building sector practice, gained through operating closely with the industry over the last 5 years. CSV’s extensive experience in identifying and analysing issues and developing innovative approaches has resulted in a substantial body of knowledge that can be drawn upon to make valuable contributions to policy development and long-term reform strategy for the building sector.

What will we deliver in 2025–26?

CSV will document lessons learned through the delivery of the program and share key insights with Victorian Government stakeholders, as well as with interstate and international governments that are grappling with similar issues. A compendium of research reports will be compiled and made publicly available, to ensure that CSV’s legacy of building sector insights, data analysis and research findings is openly accessible after its closure.

CSV’s success is underpinned by the processes and controls that work to build and sustain a high level of organisational performance through effective resource management, comprehensive risk systems and strong financial governance. CSV is continually striving to enhance the operational practices that provide a strong foundation for the achievement of its objectives. Particular focus is being directed towards activities that will ensure an efficient and streamlined close-out of the program and transfer of trailing activities.

Outcome Indicators and Measures

Our progress towards achieving this outcome will be measured through the following outcome indicator and measures.

Outputs

Strategic workforce management

CSV is committed to continual enhancement of the systems and frameworks that foster a dynamic, supportive and high-performance workplace culture that facilitates the delivery of strategic objectives. Close-out of the organisation introduces new challenges, particularly with regard to retention of capabilities and maintenance of strong staff engagement levels that are critical for successful program completion and the efficient transfer of trailing activities.

What will we deliver in 2025–26?

Activity will focus on the implementation of strategies outlined in the Workforce Transition Strategy that support staff as CSV progresses towards and reaches close-out. This includes ensuring sufficient resources and capability to deliver on CSV program objectives, providing development and internal promotional opportunities, and supporting staff through organisational change and career transitions. To enable CSV to maintain a high-calibre workforce and to retain staff and capability, all staff will receive change management support, ensuring readiness for CSV demobilisation.

Transition and Close-out

From the outset, CSV was established as a focused delivery program with a clear mandate. Five years into delivery of the program, preparation is underway for the completion of the program, the close-out of CSV as an entity and the transition of any trailing activities. Efficient management of these activities is critical for the conclusion of the program and leveraging learnings with government stakeholders, program partners and the community.

What will we deliver in 2025–26?

Close-out planning and activities will focus on the delivery of key milestone phases outlined in the Demobilisation Strategic Plan and associated project plans. These will be delivered in the context of a robust change management framework to ensure staff receive effective and timely communication and tailored support. A comprehensive risk management strategy will identify appropriate controls and actions to mitigate barriers to close-out and regular progress reporting will be provided to the Board to enable appropriate governance oversight.

Output Measures

The effectiveness of our delivery will be monitored through the following measures.

* Represents the public sector average for similar organisations for 2024
^ This is an annual measure

CSV regularly reviews its progress towards the delivery of agreed objectives to ensure that projects and initiatives are on track, key risks to outcomes are assessed and any critical issues are addressed in a timely manner.

Formal reporting is undertaken in relation to the projects, initiatives and targets outlined in the annual work program, which are aligned with the strategic plan outcomes. Quarterly progress reports are provided to the CSV Board and public reporting of achievements and challenges occurs annually through CSV’s annual report.

CSV also provides regular program and operational reports to the Department of Transport and Planning. Key requirements from the Ministerial Letter of Expectations are incorporated into this plan and reported against in CSV’s annual report.

Download a PDF copy of Cladding Safety Victoria's Annual Work Program 2025-26: