27 February 2026

ASBEC supports Treasury’s objectives to modernise the National Construction Code (NCC) as a critical component of improving regulatory efficiency, system resilience and productivity and long-term economic performance. This submission identifies key areas of reform we believe will achieve this.

Key reform priorities include:

• strengthening governance arrangements while ensuring continuity, stability and the ongoing progression of the next edition of the NCC in 2029
• improving national consistency as it is essential to reducing unnecessary regulatory burden, minimising compliance complexity and enhancing market efficiency
• maintaining a predictable and transparent NCC update cadence, which is fundamental to supporting investment certainty and orderly industry adaptation
• reducing structural complexity and improving regulatory clarity to deliver significant productivity and compliance benefits across the construction sector
• modernising the regulatory impact analysis to reflect whole-of-life affordability considerations in order to strengthen policy decision-making and better account for long-term household, community and economic outcomes in a changing climate
• aligning the NCC with climate resilience and energy transition objectives to support occupant health and safety, reduce long-term risk exposure and enhance the durability and performance of Australia’s built environment.

Read the full submission here.