The Institute is actively advocating on behalf of the profession and the community in response to government suggestions to pause updates to the National Construction Code (NCC).听
As members, you know how important the NCC is to ensuring that Australia鈥檚 buildings are safe, healthy, sustainable and productive. That鈥檚 why we are speaking out 鈥� because pausing these updates would compromise the very standards that underpin our work and the wellbeing of our communities.听
National President Adam Haddow has been a strong voice on the issue, ensuring the architectural perspective is heard loud and clear:听
鈥淏uilding upgrades cost significantly less when the code is updated more frequently. A pause creates costly backlogs of quality and safety improvements that ultimately burden the industry and society.鈥�听
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Productivity and Innovation at Risk听
The government has argued that pausing NCC updates would boost productivity. We challenge this claim. Regular updates to the Code provide certainty for investment, enable innovation, and ensure Australia keeps pace with global best practice.听
鈥淎 pause in the NCC will not keep up with innovations that help us build better and quicker. We鈥檒l be left behind the international market.鈥�听
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Protecting Health and Accessibility听
Regular NCC reviews are also vital to improving ventilation, preventing mould, and ensuring accessibility and inclusivity in our buildings. A pause would delay reforms that impact the daily lives of Australians.听
鈥淚gnoring expert evidence in the built environment is akin to knowing what causes cancer but doing nothing about it. Changes to the NCC improve people鈥檚 lives鈥攖hey are essential to delivering better homes for people. A cheap house doesn鈥檛 mean a cheap life.鈥�听
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Safety Cannot Be Compromised听
With fire safety, waterproofing, and climate resilience upgrades on the table, the Institute has made clear that public safety must never be traded for political expediency or speed.听
鈥淎ny inference that pausing the NCC will cut red tape and allow more buildings to be built more quickly is a furphy. We should never compromise safety and quality for speed and volume.鈥�听
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Building It Right, First Time听
The NCC is the framework that allows our industry to deliver safe, efficient, sustainable and high-quality buildings. Pausing updates risks undermining confidence, delaying improvements, and eroding trust in our built environment.听
鈥淩eal construction productivity means establishing clear frameworks to enable investment by the private sector. We know what鈥檚 needed, we need to get on with it. The built environment shapes how we live鈥攚e must get it right.鈥�听
The Institute will continue to advocate strongly to ensure Australia鈥檚 building standards are not compromised. Our message is clear: we owe it to the profession, industry and communities to keep the NCC moving forward.听
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For all media enquiries, please contact:
Eva Scheerlinck
Head of Policy and Advocacy
蜜桃影像
eva.scheerlinck@architecture.com.au
0438 678 858