Arabic version: خطة الائتلاف للمنازل الأساسية تثير جدلاً حول المعايير
According to ABC News, the Coalition wants to simplify Australia’s National Construction Code to help deliver homes faster and at lower cost, but its proposal to make some energy-efficiency and accessibility features optional has drawn criticism. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said the party wanted to cut red tape and make approvals easier, while Shadow Minister for Housing Andrew Bragg has promoted a more basic standard for new homes.
Senator Bragg said a mandatory core Australian building standard of 80 to 90 pages could cover structural integrity, fire resilience and safety, waterproofing and moisture control, and lighting, sanitation and safe water. The framework would be supported by a pattern book for prefabricated housing and Modern Methods of Construction, including modular technologies. He said additional requirements such as double glazing, insulation, ramps, widened corridors and reinforced walls for grab rails should be choices for buyers rather than mandatory provisions.
The existing National Construction Code runs to 2,200 pages and is widely seen as complex. Master Builders Australia said its size, drafting, complexity and scope creep had contributed to poorer outcomes, lower productivity and higher costs. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has also described the code as difficult and costly to navigate, saying the government had paused new additions while working with states and industry on streamlining it. The Housing Industry Association said the approach in the Senate productivity committee’s interim housing report could speed construction, reduce costs and help more first-home buyers enter the market.
Critics support simplification but oppose reducing minimum protections. Australian Institute of Architects national president David Wagner said energy efficiency and accessibility should not become “optional extras”, warning efficiency can determine whether a low-income household can afford winter heating. ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie said making energy performance optional could leave people with higher power bills for decades, while homes that are too hot, too cold or inaccessible were not safe. Grattan Institute senior associate Matthew Bowes said less insulation or double glazing could add heating and cooling costs and affect resale value, though he said the supply-demand balance remained most important for house prices.
Young people interviewed by ABC News expressed mixed views. Perth marketing worker Maya Sabattini said a basic, more affordable home appealed because ownership felt out of reach, though she recognised energy bills were a consideration. Canberra student En-Mei said more housing supply was positive but warned homes that did not meet all Australians’ needs could worsen inequality. First-home buyer Jack Morrison said regulations should be simplified, but questioned whether accessibility and environmental measures were the right areas to reduce.
