Question On Notice No. 701 asked in the Legislative Council on 7 April 2022 by Hon Dr Brad Pettitt
Question Directed to the: Minister for Regional Development representing the Minister for Commerce
Parliament: 41 Session: 1
Question
I refer to the National Construction Codes 2022 (NCC 2022), which each State and Territory is scheduled to adopt on 1 September 2022. In Western Australia alone, each year the NCC 2022 is delayed will result in approximately 84,000 tonnes of avoidable greenhouse gas emissions, 20,000 new homes being constructed that do not meet national energy efficiency standards and new homeowners paying an additional $934 each in energy bills (equivalent to approximately $16.7 million in avoidable household energy bills), and I ask:
(a) will the Government adopt the NCC 2022 in its entirety on 1 September 2022, in line with all other States and Territories;
(b) if no to (a):
(i) what aspects of the NCC 2022 are expected to be adopted on 1 September 2022, if any; and
(ii) what aspects of the NCC 2022 are expected to be delayed, how long for and why; and
(c) will the Government apply a transition period to the adoption of the NCC 2022, and if so:
(i) how long is the transition period likely to be overall;
(ii) what aspects of the NCC 2022 will likely be subject to a transition period and for how long; and
(iii) what is the longest potential transition period that the Government may consider to be acceptable, noting that every day the NCC 2022 is delayed in Western Australia will result in higher household energy bills and additional tonnes of avoidable carbon emissions?
Answered on 11 May 2022
I am advised:
(a) As the 2022 edition of the National Construction Code (NCC) has not been finalised, the Government is not in position to answer this question. I am advised a draft will be presented for consideration by the Building Ministers’ Meeting in June 2022.
(b)(i)-(ii) Not applicable
(c) Yes
(i)-(iii) The Building Regulations 2012 provide an automatic 12 months transition for all new editions of the NCC. It is premature to comment whether further transitions will be provided, as NCC 2022 is not yet finalised.