New South Wales – Building Better Homes

New South Wales

An ambitious plan to build thousands of new homes was announced in the New South Wales 2024-25 State Budget. But it excludes people with disability and older people.

For the past 2 years, the NSW Government is one of only two state governments that has refused to sign up to the Silver Livable Housing Design Standards in the National Construction Code – a set of design standards that require new housing developments to offer basic accessibility for all people.

These standards are not a lot to ask – they simply require developers to include things like a step free shower and level entry to the home. Read the full standard to find out what basic necessities are needed to make NSW homes accessible.

The Australian Building Codes Board modelling for these standards shows it will only add about 1% to the cost of a new build.

These discriminatory housing standards in NSW mean fewer houses are available for people with disability and older people, leaving thousands of Australians unable to live in a home appropriate to their needs across their lifespan.

This forces more people into specialist disability housing or aged care, affecting their quality of life, putting more pressure on the NDIS and increasing the costs for government.

That’s why we came together as a community to call on the NSW State Government to sign the Silver Livable Housing Design Standards mandated in the National Construction Code.

On Tuesday 6 August, we gathered at Parliament House to say enough is enough to housing discrimination in NSW.

It was fantastic to see a large group of people with disability rally, calling on the NSW government to end housing discrimination and adopt measures to ensure that new housing developments in NSW are accessibly built.

MC Edward Morris (CEO – Physical Disability Council of NSW) addressed attendees, and handed our Open Letter to Alex Greenwich (NSW Legislative Assembly) and Abigail Boyd (NSW Legislative Assembly).

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© 2024 Building Better Homes

Open Letter to NSW Leaders

To the NSW Premier, Chris Minns, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, Minister for Housing Rose Jackson, Minister for Disability Inclusion Kate Washington and Minister for Building Anoulack Chantivong,

It’s no secret that the housing system in NSW is far from perfect.

But for people with disability, it’s discriminatory.

For the past two years, you, our NSW state leaders, have refused to sign up to the Silver Livable Housing Design Standards mandated in the National Construction Code – a set of design standards that require new housing developments to offer basic accessibility for all people.

The lack of accessible housing in NSW unnecessarily forces people into specialist disability housing or aged care rather than a home to call their own. This affects people’s quality of life, puts more pressure on the NDIS and increases the costs for government.

In this year’s NSW State Budget, you unveiled an ambitious plan to build thousands of new homes, but without a mandatory design standard for new housing development in place, people with disability and older people are excluded.

These standards are not a lot to ask – they simply require that developers include things like a step free shower and level entry to new homes that are built.

The discriminatory housing standards in NSW mean fewer houses are available for people with disability and older people, leaving thousands of Australians unable to live in a home appropriate to their needs across their lifespan.

That’s why we’re coming together as a community to call on you, the NSW State Government, to step up and sign the Silver Level Livable Housing Design Standards mandated in the National Construction Code.

If it’s good enough for Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, the Northern Territory and the ACT, surely it’s good enough for NSW.

Together, we - people with disability, older Australians, advocates and allies - call on you to end discriminatory housing in NSW.

<b>To the NSW Premier, Chris Minns, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, Minister for Housing Rose Jackson, Minister for Disability Inclusion Kate Washington and Minister for Building Anoulack Chantivong, </b>

It’s no secret that the housing system in NSW is far from perfect.

But for people with disability, it’s discriminatory.

For the past two years, you, our NSW state leaders, have refused to sign up to the Silver Livable Housing Design Standards mandated in the National Construction Code – a set of design standards that require new housing developments to offer basic accessibility for all people.

The lack of accessible housing in NSW unnecessarily forces people into specialist disability housing or aged care rather than a home to call their own. This affects people’s quality of life, puts more pressure on the NDIS and increases the costs for government.

In this year’s NSW State Budget, you unveiled an ambitious plan to build thousands of new homes, but without a mandatory design standard for new housing development in place, people with disability and older people are excluded.

These standards are not a lot to ask – they simply require that developers include things like a step free shower and level entry to new homes that are built.

The discriminatory housing standards in NSW mean fewer houses are available for people with disability and older people, leaving thousands of Australians unable to live in a home appropriate to their needs across their lifespan. 
 
That’s why we’re coming together as a community to call on you, the NSW State Government, to step up and sign the Silver Level Livable Housing Design Standards mandated in the National Construction Code.

If it’s good enough for Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, the Northern Territory and the ACT, surely it’s good enough for NSW.

Together, we - people with disability, older Australians, advocates and allies - call on you to end discriminatory housing in NSW.