Liberal housing spokesman Andrew Bragg vows to shrink 2,000-page building code to 80 pages

Liberal opposition housing spokesman Andrew Bragg used a National Press Club address to pledge a radical reduction of the National Construction Code, trimming it from more than 2,000 pages to roughly 80. He contended that the existing regulations create "gold-plated" houses that are unaffordable, and he would keep only core structural, fire safety and health standards, relegating other rules—like accessibility ramps and seven-star energy ratings—to optional status.

The proposal hinges on state and territory cooperation, as the code is implemented through eight separate regulatory systems across Australia. Building industry bodies and the Productivity Commission have warned that the code’s size adds between $3,600 and $33,000 to a new home’s price. Critics, including Labor minister Tim Ayres, caution that removing mandatory measures could jeopardise issues such as balcony waterproofing. The plan also includes a federal "pattern book" of approved designs and ties housing construction targets to migration policy.