As Minister for Workplace Safety and Consumer Affairs, I was pleased to stand up for Tasmania’s interests at today’s Building Ministers' Meeting.
A number of important issues were discussed, including the National Construction Code (NCC) with which all building work in Tasmania must comply. The NCC is amended on a three-year cycle, with the next edition due to be implemented later this year.
The proposed NCC 2022 changes discussed today included a compulsory minimum 7-star Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) energy efficiency rating.
Tasmania’s emissions profile is the envy of the nation, recording net zero emissions for the past seven years and becoming the first jurisdiction to achieve 100 per cent self‑sufficiency in renewable electricity. Tasmania also currently requires newly built homes to have a minimum 6-star energy efficiency rating – which is consistent with or ahead of the rest of Australia.
We are pulling our weight, and we believe it is important that any changes to the Code do not negatively affect home building in Tasmania, while also ensuring that any increased energy efficiency provisions do not exacerbate condensation risks already being faced in Tasmanian homes.
Given these risks to our State, we do not support the proposed energy efficiency changes coming into effect this year. Our clear focus is on increasing the supply of housing, and it is clear the proposed changes will impose a significant additional burden on industry through costly changes to building standards.
We will be deferring consideration of the compulsory 7-star energy efficiency rating until the next iteration of the NCC in 2025, which will give us the time we need to ensure any changes do not negatively impact our State and the supply of new homes.
In the meantime, the Tasmanian Government will invest in a research partnership with the University of Tasmania which is a national leader in condensation research, to commence further research with the aim of developing condensation and energy standards for different construction typologies and climate zones, to inform NCC 2025.
Of course, home-owners can still build to the higher efficiency standard, if they choose to.
The Tasmanian Government does support accessible housing requirements to be adopted under the NCC 2022, including ‘step free’ access from the street or car park and a number of ‘in house’ measures to ease mobility, such as wider entrances and hallways.
We will accept the proposed exemptions, including for sloped sites, and a transition period will apply until October 2024, to allow industry sufficient time to prepare for these changes. However, our Government-built social and affordable housing have already implemented these accessibility measures, wherever possible.
Importantly, these changes will ensure there is housing available for elderly people and those living with certain disabilities, and will also benefit the wider community to be better supported as they age, or experience mobility issues at different stages of life.
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