Builders in Victoria will be put on notice that they must not use dangerous flammable cladding on the outside of medium and high-rise buildings, after the Victorian Government ordered the construction watchdog to issue product safety alert.

But the measures, which the Government touted as a new ban, have been criticised by building experts as offering nothing new to the already established national building standards which have failed to prevent the use of dangerous materials.

The cladding was found to contributed to a 2014 fire at the Lacrosse building in Docklands. ( Audience submitted: Wade Savage )

The State Government and local councils have been wrestling with the issue of combustible cladding since the Grenfell tower fire in London last year and the Lacrosse building fire in Melbourne's Docklands in 2014.

"There's nothing more important than ensuring that we have community safety," Victoria Planning Minister Richard Wynne said.

Under the new measures, the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) will issue a product safety alert to builders and surveyors that this "dangerous cladding cannot be used" in residential buildings above three stories.

It will specify that the use of the aluminium cladding with a polyethylene core of more than 30 per cent is prohibited in certain circumstances.

Failure to comply will attract fines of up to $400,000 and, in extreme cases, imprisonment.

"We know we have buildings in Victoria, and indeed right across Australia, that have combustible cladding," Mr Wynne said.

"The expert advice that we have is buildings for three stories and below you have the capacity to escape safety."

'No change at all'

The changes stem from the investigations of the Victorian Cladding Taskforce, which identified 1,369 buildings which most likely have the cladding, 608 of which are not yet under construction and 188 which are half-built.

But building experts said the measures outlined were already enforced under the Australian Building Standards, which stipulate that combustible cladding should never be used in residential buildings higher than three stories.

"It's disappointing that they're trying to get some cheap publicity over no change at all," Sahil Bhasin, from building inspection company Roscon, said.

"Class-two buildings, being residential, are prohibited to have a combustible facade and [the] announcement does not change that at all."

The changes also do not address buildings that already have combustible cladding, which have left residents in Melbourne battle skyrocketing insurance and costly legal proceedings.

"This will not address any of the wrong material we've got in the country," Mr Bhasin said.

"The community is scared in some towers where they're of high risk, in others they're curious, they're concerned, they would like answers."

'Give us the rulebook'

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade welcomed the announcement, but admitted the Government was reiterating what was already outlined in federal regulations.

The taskforce identified 1,369 buildings which most likely have the cladding in Melbourne. ( ABC News: Margaret Burin )

It said enforcing sprinkler systems for structures under 25 metres or eight stories, is high on its priority list.

"We've advocated to have sprinkler systems in those particular buildings," Acting Deputy Chief Commissioner Adam Dalrymple said.

The peak surveying group said it wanted an increase in mandatory inspections.

"Give us the rule book, the guidelines, and we can enforce it and administer these measures of compliance," Wayne Liddy from the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors said.

"We want to see a nationally consistent approach to dealing with the cladding issue. At the moment we don't want to see political point scoring."

Concerns in Moreland

In January, the VBA wrote to all Victorian councils, revealing the list of buildings within their jurisdiction that it had identified as "likely" having combustible cladding.

Negotiations are ongoing between local governments and state agencies about resourcing physical inspections, but many councils have already been able to further clarify the number of completed construction that require further inspection.

Moreland is one of the municipalities most affected, recently revealing to the ABC that it had identified 150 completed structures of concern within its boundaries, and four buildings had been issued building notices due to the combustible cladding.

Other inner city councils that responded to the ABC include Glen Eira (39), Monash (86), Melbourne (22), and Yarra (27).

Some outer city councils that have seen a boom in apartments have also been affected, with Greater Dandenong identifying 52 buildings of concern in its first pilot inspection program.

Port Phillip Council is widely expected to be one of the worst municipalities affected, but the council repeatedly refused to reveal to the ABC the numbers of buildings it had identified as potentially having the dangerous material.

The VBA has also been able to further establish buildings of concern, including Stonnington (49) and Boroondara (38).