The government will pause further residential changes to the National Construction Code until mid-2029, following finalisation of the NCC 2025 edition. The pause excludes essential safety and quality changes and maintains 7-star energy efficiency standards adopted in 2022. The usual three-year update cycle has been extended by one year to provide regulatory stability for builders.

A strike team was established within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to fast-track assessment of more than 26,000 homes awaiting EPBC Act approval. The government also committed to piloting artificial intelligence to simplify assessments and new Ministerial guidelines to improve access to rapid assessment pathways.

[1] https://minister.dcceew.gov.au/watt/media-releases/joint-media-release-action-red-tape-and-approvals-build-more-homes-more-quickly

[2] https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/faq/general-ncc

[3] https://theconversation.com/heres-what-pausing-the-national-construction-code-means-for-builders-and-home-buyers-263812

[4] https://www.realestate.com.au/news/building-code-decision-welcomed-as-a-win-for-industry-and-buyers/