The quest for a better NCC

Over the past 12 months, the National Construction Code has been roundly blamed for stalling productivity in Australia, particularly in our quest to build more houses. At the same time, stakeholders in the building and construction industry have highlighted the importance of the code in guaranteeing safety, wellbeing and amenity for building occupants, as well as helping us achieve our emissions reduction goals.

“The NCC plays a critical role in defining minimum nationally consistent standards to ensure buildings, such as homes, schools, hospitals and commercial premises, support safety and health, amenity and accessibility,” says Minister for Housing and Chair of the Building Ministers’ Meeting Clare O’Neil.

“However, the Productivity Commission has found that the growing volume of regulation imposed by all levels of government, including through the NCC, has contributed to poor construction productivity. Some aspects of the NCC and the way it is implemented can impose unnecessarily high costs on building construction and stifle construction innovation.”

In response to these issues, the Commonwealth government is consulting on changes to improve the code with the release of a discussion paper titled Streamlining and Modernising the National Construction Code.

The paper seeks stakeholder feedback in four areas.

Governance and process

This section of the consultation explores the process around proposing and making changes to the code, the frequency of updates, how advice is provided to Building Ministers, the role of industry in the update process, and stakeholder engagement to inform decision-making.

Complexity and regulatory burden

Much has been made of the length of the NCC – it comprises 2,000 pages referencing more than 100 standards. It has also been criticised for being complex and at times ambiguous. The paper seeks suggestions on how to improve this.

There is a question of whether the NCC should simply define a minimum standard or also offer pathways to best practice.

State and territory variations are also a focus of the consultation. Some 600 pages of the total 2,000 pages of the code are dedicated to these variations, adding further complexity and challenge, especially for professionals and businesses working across jurisdictions.

Usability and accessibility

Stakeholders have flagged that, as a document, the NCC could be easier to use. This may involve better digital access and the use of AI tools.

As well as accessing and navigating the code itself, there is a wider question of how users can access referenced standards that are held behind paywalls, and which standards are referenced.

Innovation and housing diversity

This theme relates to eliminating barriers to the uptake of new materials or products, housing types, and modern methods of construction.

The consultation closes on February 27. For more information and to make a submission, visit the consultation hub.

Image courtesy of Daniel Mironov on Unsplash

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