New laws make Mr Fluffy homes a target, former owner says

Minister for Employment and Workplace Safety Suzanne Orr tabled a bill to the ACT Legislative Assembly on Thursday, which detailed a suite of measures for managing Mr Fluffy properties after the demolition and buyback scheme ends on June 30.

Among them is a proposal requiring owners to place a copy of their approved asbestos management plans in a clear case outside their property.

Felicity Prideaux, who surrendered her Mr Fluffy home in 2014 but has continued to be a vocal advocate for remaining owners, said the move could make properties a target for vandalism.

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There are still 35 privately-owned Mr Fluffy properties in the ACT.

Mrs Prideaux was worried about the possible invasion of owners' privacy, as the plans would include details of their property's layout.

Owners would be able to have their name and any photos of personal items redacted from the document, under the legislation tabled on Thursday.

"It [the asbestos management plan] should be made available just past the door, so it is secured from public view," Mrs Prideaux said.

"We have elderly people living alone [in Mr Fluffy homes] and we don't want their personal details put out there."

The addresses of the original 1022 homes found to be contaminated with Mr Fluffy loose-fill asbestos were first published in July 2015.

Ms Orr said placing the clear cases outside affected properties would allow visitors, particularly tradespeople, to "make informed choices" on whether to enter the home.

"The measures are designed to be discreet," she said.

"It [the clear case] is not designed to be screaming from the street. It's there so when you enter the home, you can discreetly see before you enter it .. so you can make an informed decision.

"It's about getting that balance of making sure people have the information and not putting the homeowner in a position where their rights to privacy are overlooked."

Ms Orr announced the measures last November, marking the first time the government had outlined how it planned to deal with remaining owners after the contentious buyback scheme ended.

It was revealed at the time that remaining owners would be allowed to remain in their properties until 2025, at which point the government would consider compulsory acquisitions.

The announcement angered owners, including Mrs Prideaux, who opted in to the buyback scheme amid fears the government would forcibly acquire their homes if they held out beyond June 30 this year.

While compulsory acquisitions are on the table, the government is hoping that a range of new incentives to help owners relocate will mean they aren't required.

Remaining owners with complex health issues or facing financial hardship will be eligible for "transition assistance" to help them move - provided they sign contracts to surrender their property before the June 30 deadline. They would also be able to access equity in their home before settlement.

The proposed laws presented on Thursday also seek to prevent owners from renovating their Mr Fluffy property, unless the work was essential to "supporting the health, safety and reasonable living conditions" of occupants.

From July 1, owners will only be able to sell or lease their property to "approved occupants", such as carers or family members. The so-called "occupancy prohibition" would be lifted once the property was demolished and deleted from the government's Mr Fluffy register.