Leading advocacy groups across Australia’s design and construction sector have rallied to protect the current 3-year updating cycle for the nation’s building code

As media reports suggest that the Federal Government is considering pausing the current three-year updating cycle for the National Construction Code (NCC), several industry groups have called for the current cycle to be maintained.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) reiterated  its ongoing support for the three-year updating cycle as expressed in its policy priority statement.

“ACIF advocates that maintaining the National Construction Code updates at the current three-year cycles is critical,” the document reads.

Meanwhile, the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) has warned that halting NCC updates could jeopardise new building quality and safety.

“Any inference that pausing the NCC will cut red tape and allow more buildings to be built more quickly is a furphy,” AIA National President Adam Haddow said.

“We should never compromise safety and quality for speed and volume.”

Code updates may be frozen

The latest calls follow media reports which suggest that the Federal Government may implement a freeze to the Code’s updating cycle as part of its three-day Economic Reform Roundtable which begins on Tuesday.

The Code is Australia’s primary set of technical design and construction provisions for buildings.

It establishes minimum requirements for new buildings in regard to health, safety, amenity, accessibility and sustainability.

As things stand, the Code is updated every three years.

However, some policy makers have been moving to pause further Code updates.

This comes as the industry has shouldered a significant burden in implementing massive changes that were introduced as part of the 2022 update.

These changes saw the introduction of accessible housing requirements into the Code for the first time as well as a tightening in the energy performance level which new homes are required to meet from six-star ratings under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme to 7-star ratings.

Last year, the South Australian Government announced a 10-year moratorium on changes to the Code.

In the lead up to the Federal Election in May, the Opposition Liberal/National Coalition promised to freeze the Code for ten years if it won office.

Prior to the election, the current Labor Government voiced its support for the ongoing updating cycle.

Last week, however, a report in the Australian Financial Review suggested that a pause on further code updates is being considered.

This follows an ABC report that leaked Treasury advice had recommended such a move. According to this report, the advice did not specify the length of time for which Code updates should be frozen.

Keep updating cycle, improve the process

In response, ACIF says that the current three-year updating cycle should be maintained.

Far from aiding productivity, ACIF Executive Director James Cameron argued that any proposal for a 10-year freeze on Code changes may have the opposite effect.

This would be the case as updates to the Code may be needed in order to facilitate the introduction of new technology and construction methods.

Freezing Code updates may also reduce the ability of the nation’s buildings to adapt to evolving environmental challenges, it added.

However, ACIF argues that reform is needed to the way in which the Code is updated.

In the case of NCC 2022, it says that the updating process was inadequate and did not involve adequate industry engagement.

This resulted in too much change happening too quickly.

Moving forward, ACIF would like to see:

• Better alignment of the current three-year updating cycle with the program of work that is being undertaken by building minsters and states and territories in order to bring all jurisdictions up to date with current Code requirements.
• More staffing and resources to better equip the ABCB to carry out its functions.
• Closer alignment of the ABCB with state and territory building regulators so as to prevent unnecessary complexity which may arise out of differences in requirements that may emerge across jurisdictions.
• Closer alignment of the ABCB with Standards Australia and its committees so as to align NCC-referenced standards and to avoid the situation whereby standards remain outdated for extended periods.

Don’t compromise building safety

Furthermore, the AIA warns that pausing code changes will compromise the performance of new buildings in terms of climate resilience, quality and safety.

It cites examples of changes which have been proposed as part of the 2025 update.

These include upgraded energy performance and climate readiness for new commercial buildings, new requirements to prevent water leakage from balconies into apartments and new fire safety requirements for car parks.

(In relation to the 2025 updating cycle of the NCC, a Public Comment Draft seeking feedback on proposed changes was issued last year.

However, the process in relation to the 2025 update has been put on hold amid substantial administrative changes which are being undertaken within the Federal Government.)

Amendments such as these, AIA argues, will make buildings safer, more comfortable, more efficient and more responsive to climate challenges.

Furthermore, it argues that ongoing updates will be needed in order to maintain building quality and safety as well as climate preparedness of new buildings.

As for productivity, Haddow said that ideas about pausing NCC changes aiding in this area are a folly.

“True productivity comes from building it right the first time – safely and to last,” he said.

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