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🇦🇺 Australia /Economy & Trade

Should Australia copy New Zealand's 83-page building code?

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Australia is considering adopting a simplified building code, potentially modeled on New Zealand's 83-page standard.
  • The government is promoting Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to address the housing crisis.
  • A Senate committee's interim report and a Liberal senator's proposal suggest reducing the National Construction Code's length.

Australia's government is exploring a significant overhaul of its building regulations, aiming to simplify the National Construction Code (NCC) and boost the adoption of prefabricated and modular housing.

The Albanese government is investing millions in promoting Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), a policy gaining cross-party support from industry groups, think tanks, and major banks. Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, the shadow minister for housing, is a vocal proponent of this shift.

At a recent meeting of federal, state, and territory treasurers, officials were briefed on plans to modernize the NCC and promote MMC. They agreed to review barriers to wider MMC adoption. Earlier, a Senate committee chaired by Senator Bragg released an interim report on the housing industry.

Senator Bragg has advocated for reducing the NCC, which currently exceeds 2,200 pages, to a more manageable length, citing New Zealand's 83-page building code as a potential model. His proposal for an "80-page Basic Australian Standard" aims to streamline regulations and support manufacturing within the construction sector, though details are still being clarified.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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