Building ministers pledge NCC modernisation

According to the communique issued after the event, reforms aim to lift productivity and deliver more homes quickly. The foot is on the accelerator, as cost of living pressures and housing affordability continue to cause pain for voters.

“Ministers committed to modernise the National Construction Code (NCC), recognising a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to transform how Australia builds,” the communique states.

“Ministers agreed to pursue reforms to boost construction productivity, reduce regulatory burden, and support the uptake of modern methods of construction and faster housing delivery through a more nationally consistent building system which leads to high‑quality housing.”

In a shared statement of reform commitment to modernising the NCC, the ministers state that the aim is supporting a “genuinely” national NCC.

Specific reform directions and preliminary work include:

• Simplifying NCC access and use, improving digital delivery and making NCC 2025 “AI-ready”.
• Improving readability and clarity through removing excess, outdated, duplicated and inconsistent provisions.
• Creating “simple solution” manuals.
• Recommit to a national market.
• Governance reform.
• Enabling innovation and products.
• Reducing the cost of demonstrating compliance.

Read the full communique here.

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