Previous failures of Sydney Opal Tower’s certifier revealed

The directors of the company that signed off on the structural integrity of the defective Opal building have previously been reprimanded by the building watchdog.

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The directors of the company that signed off on the structural integrity of the defective Opal building have previously been reprimanded by the building watchdog.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that McKenzie Group director Mark Cogo, whose company was the independent certifier for the Opal building, has been whacked with multiple fines and reprimands by the Building Professionals Board.

This included a fine of $11,000 in 2009 over a warehouse he accredited, where he authorised a “fire safety solution” that was deficient.

Residents were forced out of the Opal Tower for the second time. Picture: Toby Zerna

According to a judgment on the case, Mr Cogo, now based in Queensland, had authorised a fire safety plan that was inadequate.

The board found he ignored the advice of NSW Fire and instead relied on a report from an independent consultant who “was not qualified as an accredited certifier at the appropriate level”.

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In 2008, he was fined $11,000 for issuing a construction certificate for a large residential development that was “inconsistent with various aspects of the plans approved by the development consent”.

He had a total of six disciplinary actions from the board between 2004 and 2009.

Co-director of McKenzie Group Stephen Natilli has also been cautioned by the board — twice in 2005.

Building material at Opal Towers in Sydney Olympic Park.

New vision has emerged of another crack in Sydney's Opal Tower. Picture: Channel 7

There is no suggestion of impropriety against Mr Natilli or Mr Cogo regarding the Opal development.

It comes after a recent report from the NSW government warned there were community concerns about private certifiers being unduly influenced by the builders and developers they work for, given the certifier is being paid by the same party they are supposed to independently oversee.

In order to become a private certifier in NSW, applicants must apply to the Building Professionals Board and meet criteria set out in the board’s accreditation scheme.

The independent certification industry was deregulated by the Labor government in the 1990s.

HAVING A CRACK

The owners of Opal Tower units are still advertising apartments for lease on Airbnb — despite the safety fears engulfing the troubled development.

Ads targeting Asian visitors were still listed last night despite inspectors evacuating residents for a second time.

“It’s safe. Don’t worry!” said one Airbnb host — who called herself Ting — when contacted yesterday. A second host, known as Yujing, said: “Mine is lucky and I have guest currently inside and they are all good now.”

Originally published as Previous failures of Sydney Opal Tower’s certifier revealed