One of HIA’s highly respected national committee chairs recently said they didn’t want to open one of our member alerts issued for fear of more bad news on further new regulation changes. With an array of reforms and proposed changes on the go, many builders have told me that they look forward to resetting and having some time away.

The policy front in 2024 has been a busy, challenging year. There was no shortage of reforms afoot and new consultations on proposed changes that the industry had to respond to and prepare for.

Here are some significant policy matters we’ve been advocating for and responding to in the past year:

• ensuring government policies enable the delivery of the Housing Accord Commitment to build 1.2 million homes over the next five years 
• reducing negative media sentiment and bringing consumer confidence back into the sector 
• managing the scope, scale and complexity of implementing NCC 2022, at the same time undertaking extensive industry training to support industry adapt to these major reforms
• steering where future sustainability reforms go as part of the government’s net zero sustainability commitments and managing what this will mean for future buildings 
• curtailing what governments seek to include in NCC 2025 and its timing off the back of the largest ever amendments to building code 
• reducing continued complexity and increased regulations 
• responding to the government’s proposed bans – including gas, engineered stone, and wood heaters, and highlighting industry impacts, transitional issues and impact on businesses 
• supporting reforms and incentives to bring more skilled workers into our industry, highlighting key issues around the cost of land, materials and labour 
• responding to further push from insurance sectors such as the insurance industry for greater building resilience matters such as building codes and standards and restricting where people can build 
• pushing comprehensive planning reforms to bring new land to market and fast track approvals, and meet current and expected housing demand 
• increased regulator audits of buildings and a more punitive approach to enforcement and regulation of the industry 
• adapting to more innovative types of building and ensuring regulatory impediments are not stifling this innovation.

Fighting hard

This is an intimidating list of matters we have navigated. Members can be rest assured that HIA has fought hard for them and on their behalf, as well as for the broader building industry. We bring a pragmatic and realistic perspective to these matters and the impact on housing supply and affordability.

We will continue to advocate that any new rules introduced are proportional to the problem, practically achievable, and cost-effective. We have been strongly pushing for a pause on any new major changes, a program of regulation (red tape) reduction by all levels of government.

If any are to be introduced, they come with offsets (one in, one out rule) to counteract the impacts of the change. While we may not win every battle on policy matters, we will ensure the residential building industry’s voice and concerns are made clear to decision-makers.

Equally, we will call out bad policy no matter where it comes from. There are hundreds of battles we manage throughout the year behind closed doors. These stop many poorly conceived policy ideas or proposals before they see the light of day.

First published 6 December 2024