The Tasmanian government has reaffirmed its commitment to freeze proposed changes to the National Construction Code (NCC) 2025 by initiating a consultation.
The decision will reduce red tape and help avoid unnecessary costs to delays in the construction of new housing across the state.
Minister for Small Business, Trade and Consumer Affairs, Guy Barnett, said the changes will help deliver more clarity for the building and construction industry.
“To help formalise the freeze and ensure everyone has an opportunity to provide input into the legislation, the government is commencing consultation on draft Building Amendment Bill 2025,” Minister Barnett said.
“It shows we’re taking a sensible, balanced approach – making sure we can build the homes we need now, while planning carefully for future rules.
“By listening and working together with industry, our government is delivering for Tasmanians and this freeze means builders can focus on what they do best, building new homes.”
The National Construction Code is Australia’s primary set of technical design and construction provisions for buildings. It is a dense set of rules, comprised of three volumes with 1,500 pages, that builders need to follow.
The federal government has suspended changes to code until 2029 once the 2025 changes are finalised. The code normally updates every three years. The government will use the pause to remove red tape to speed up building approvals.
Master Builders Tasmania CEO Jenna Cairney said the legislated freeze will provide certainty to the industry that standards can’t be changed overnight.
“Hitting a legislated pause on all new residential code changes will help to reduce red tape, save home builders money, and hopefully result in more houses being built by our workforce,” Cairney said.
The Housing Industry Association, Executive Director – Tasmania, Benjamin Price said the association supports the Tasmanian government’s decision to pause the adoption of changes to the NCC.
“The Tasmanian government is leading the nation with this sensible decision,” he said.
“Freezing NCC changes means builders can focus on delivering homes for Tasmanians, rather than navigating new layers of complex regulation that add cost and delay.
“It reflects a balanced approach to building regulation – one that supports housing delivery today and manages future regulation appropriately.”
