Following last week’s Federal Government Economic Reform Roundtable, and its decision to pause and streamline the National Construction Code (NCC) Engineers Australia is urging that the engineering profession be directly engaged in reforms to the code to ensure new housing is delivered faster, more affordably and without compromising quality.
Engineers Australia CEO Romilly Madew AO FTSE HonFIEAust EngExec said the NCC pause announced by the Albanese Government offers an opportunity to rethink how the code is developed and implemented.
“Builders and engineers want clarity and consistency. These initiatives, taken together, can make a real difference in lifting productivity, enabling modern methods of construction and increasing housing supply,” Madew said.
She emphasised that inconsistency across jurisdictions is undermining the benefits of a unified code.
“Inconsistencies create complexity for industry stakeholders operating across borders, increase compliance costs, and undermine the potential productivity gains that a unified code could deliver. Addressing these jurisdictional divergences is therefore critical to unlocking the full benefits of the NCC and driving national reform outcomes.”
Madew also reaffirmed Engineers Australia’s readiness to play a central role in reform.
“A smarter NCC, developed with industry expertise, will cut red tape, lift productivity and unlock new housing supply. Engineers Australia is ready to provide the unique perspective of its 140,000 members, many of whom are at the forefront of delivering new homes in Australia. We look forward to working with the government to progress these vital reforms.”
Short but strategic
The government has committed to pausing residential changes to the NCC until mid-2029, following the release of NCC 2025. Engineers Australia had previously warned against any long-term freeze, but Madew said this short extension beyond the regular cycle could unlock important reforms.
“The current code, while functional, does not adequately support the scale, speed or innovation required to deliver more homes in Australia. Without a forward-looking, nationally consistent code that supports innovation and ensures quality, Australia risks falling short of its housing targets,” Madew said.
What does it all mean?
The Economic Reform Roundtable focused heavily on housing supply and the need to streamline approvals. Building on its $43 billion housing agenda, the government announced a five-point reform package:
- Pause NCC residential changes until the end of the National Housing Accord period (mid-2029).
- Streamline and modernise the NCC, including piloting AI to improve usability.
- Remove barriers to prefabricated and modular housing.
- Fast-track assessment of more than 26,000 housing approvals under the EPBC Act.
- Encourage superannuation investment in housing, unlocking an estimated 35,000 homes and $8 billion.
Minister for Housing, Homelessness and Cities Clare O’Neil said the reforms are about cutting unnecessary delays.
“It’s too hard to build a home in this country. We want builders onsite, not filling in forms to get their approval. In the middle of a housing crisis a generation in the making, we want builders building good quality homes of the future – not figuring out how to incorporate another set of rules.”
Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt was quick to offer assurance that the reforms would not undermine existing safeguards.
“Fast-tracked projects will continue to be required to meet all environmental requirements, but they will incentivise developers to provide required information upfront. This approach will ensure strong national environmental protections, while also leading to faster decision making, more certainty for industry and more homes for Australians.”
More, smarter, better homes delivered more quickly
Madew rejected the notion that faster approvals and better standards are mutually exclusive.
“Fast-built homes do not need to be low-quality homes. A smarter NCC can deliver both affordability and durability, ensuring homes are safe, sustainable and built to last.”
Engineers Australia has highlighted three areas where reform efforts should focus:
- Improve national consistency. Jurisdictional variations dilute the effectiveness of the NCC. Consistency is vital to reduce compliance costs and provide certainty across state and territory borders.
- Embrace modern methods of construction. Prefabrication and modular building can reduce waste, improve quality and shorten build times. The NCC must better accommodate and incentivise these practices.
- Strengthen design standards. Past structural failures, such as Opal Tower and Mascot Towers, illustrate the need for stronger provisions that reduce defects, protect public confidence and keep resources focused on new builds.
The pause on NCC updates offers a chance to embed smarter reforms that support both speed and quality in homebuilding. And the engineering profession needs to be at the centre of those reforms.
Madew added: “A nationally consistent code is only effective if it is actually adopted consistently. This is a moment to rethink how the NCC can better serve the nation’s housing needs while ensuring safety, innovation and sustainability remain at the core of our built environment.”
As Australia pursues the ambitious target of 1.2 million new homes by 2029, Engineers Australia said collaboration with the profession is critical to achieving durable, affordable housing at scale.
On small-scale and larger projects, engineering innovations are speeding up construction. Learn how it’s impacting project earthworks at this Engineers Australia webinar.
Interesting but obvious. Too many well meaning bureaucrats and government interference. Remember the snowy. Built on time and to budget. I worked on that project and am proud of our achievement. Then came Quality Assurance and more lawyers employed in the profession. Separate checks and balances were done away with so mans innate tendency to lie and cheat became the rule. Fortunately by the mid 90’s I was able to work mostly overseas where clients wanted the traditional way of doing large engineering projects and continued to be involved in the management of projects achieved to budget and program whilst Australia continued to go backwards.
Things like the Opal Tower would not have happened with independent checking and authorisation. QU has been a total disaster in the building and construction industry
Inconsistencies are causing a problem? Like what?
the energy efficiency requirements for Class 1a buildings are incorrectly based. they were introduced to indirectly reduce greenhouse gases but the electricity is now becoming green but the requirements get more stringent.
That has bad outcomes
There is large cost
the requirements make light weight construction and transportable houses extremely difficult to make comply.
the critical issue of extremely hot weather is not properly addressed.
it is so complicated it is now occupying a large amount of the Housing section of the NCC.
If we want economical Class 1 buildings the last thing needed is a freeze on those provisions.
About time they support modular and prefabricated homes – its been a night mare to get these onto the market. Also, the NCC code in latest releases has gone over the top. The only way people can use it easily is using AI to summarise it for them as they showed in Construction expo. I just hope this is not a trojan horse that allows foreign builders to come here when we can do it, or some reform that will put traditional home constructers out of business. Also reduce approval times by Councils who are a law unto themselves and serious cause for red tape and over taxation and rates. Keep it Simple stupid as they say!