The National Construction Code and related standards should remain focused on the safety of occupants rather than asset or property protection, the Housing Industry Association says in a submission to a Senate committee inquiry.

Standards are reviewed regularly and monitored after events such as cyclones, bushfires and floods, and requirements will generally be upgraded where deficiencies are found, it says.  

Codes and standards are always evolving but for the most part new houses and buildings have “a sound track record” in their ability to withstand natural hazards, and often Australia’s regulations and policies inform other countries regarding building performance and resilience, according to the association.

“HIA does not believe ... that the current processes around updating the [construction code] and the relevant Australian Standards require any change to further facilitate responses to natural disasters,” it says. “The current processes can be shown to already cater for changes where required.”

The code and standards “are the wrong tool” to address building resilience in isolation because the issue needs to be considered holistically with a primary focus on the zoning, urban infrastructure and siting of dwellings, the submission argues.

“For example, larger gutters on a house will do little to protect the home from overland flooding during heavy rainfall, nor will it aid the building if there is not an appropriate outfall [into] which the water will be directed,” it says.

The Insurance Council of Australia has for years called for the principle of resilience to be embedded in the National Construction Code. Commonwealth, state and territory ministers last month agreed to include climate resilience as an objective of the Australian Building Codes Board from next year.

The code is updated every three years, with the review process for 2028 already started.

The HIA submission supports government-backed reinsurance pools in higher-risk areas and says governments should work with the industry on an upgraded mitigation program to improve the performance of existing homes against natural hazards.

Governments should also investigate measures to limit significant price fluctuations for labour and materials after natural disasters.

HIA backs governments in collaboration with industry establishing a central repository or “single source of truth” for measures homeowners and builders can use to make homes more resilient to natural hazards and for post-incident clean up and rebuilds and repair work.  

The Senate select committee examining climate impacts on premiums and insurance availability has received about 36 submissions. It is due to report by November 19.