Slashing red tape across the construction industry

The Tasmanian Government is ensuring homes can be built faster by slashing red tape for the construction industry, allowing houses to be completed sooner.

Minister for Housing, Planning and Consumer Affairs, Felix Ellis, announced legislation will be introduced to Parliament this year to cut down on unnecessary building red tape, starting with plumbing approval requirements.

“The Tasmanian Government is taking action to get homes built cheaper, faster, and easier,” Minister Ellis said.

“We know all too well that red tape gets in the way of building homes faster – delaying construction, and costing Tasmanians time and money.

“This red tape busting action will allow a plumber to install ‘deemed-to-satisfy’ plumbing work in a standard house construction without council approval.

“Currently, plumbing work for a new home requires approval, even if it complies with standard designs.

"Delays in processing these permits have added weeks to build times, when our tradies want to get on site and get on with the job of building more homes.

“We want to make sure that, for standard ‘deemed-to-satisfy’ plumbing work, designed and installed by licensed tradies, you won’t need to jump through anymore unnecessary hoops.

“This simple but important change will mean that homes can be completed and ready for move in weeks earlier, saving families and our industry time and money.

“This is about making the building process easier and simpler for Tasmanian families, and our building and construction sector, while still adhering to the National Construction Code.”

Importantly, the council will still be notified and will retain all existing powers to inspect the work and issue compliance orders both during and post- construction.

HIA Executive Director, Stuart Collins, said the simplification of the plumbing approval process is a win for red tape reduction.

“This important announcement by the Tasmanian Government will go a long way to reducing delays and the cost of building new homes and renovations,” Mr Collins said.

An important part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future is to help more Tasmanians realise their home ownership dream, and this red tape busting legislation will deliver that dream faster.

This work will be part of broader reform to provide that building and plumbing policy is prescribed in Regulations, instead of Determinations currently set by the building regulator.