Media release – Disability Voices Tasmania, 1 November 2024
Delay in adoption of new accessible housing standards unacceptable
A decision by the Tasmanian Government to delay the implementation of important changes to improve housing accessibility has been criticised by Disability Voices Tasmania.
Changes to the National Construction Code in 2023 introduced requirements for all new housing to include features such as a stepless entry, wider doorways and corridors, toilets that could be easily changed to include grabrails and showers without a step.
“These necessary features were brought in after years of lobbying by the disability and ageing sector” said Michael Small, Chair of Disability Voices Tasmania, “they are designed to ensure safer, more accessible and easily adapted homes to help in dealing with the ongoing crisis faced by disabled and older Tasmanians requiring more accessible features in housing.”
While the Tasmanian Government agreed to adopt the changes the building industry was given an additional year to get ready through the provision of training and resource development.
“Our view was that the new requirements could have been adopted in 2023 but we were able to accept the delay until 1 October 2024 if it meant the changes would be properly implemented” said Mr Small.
“We were extremely disappointed to find out just a few days before 1 October that there would be a further delay of up to 2 years for full adoption of the changes. We hear constantly from disabled Tasmanians, that housing is not appropriate for their needs and accessible housing is difficult or impossible to find.”
From the information available to Disability Voices Tasmania it appears that the Minister responsible for housing decided on the delay following lobbying from one of the building industry bodies.
“There was absolutely no consultation with the disability and ageing sector and we only found out about the change by chance” said Mr Small, “This decision flies in the face of the Government’s commitment to engage with and include people with disability on matters of concern.”
Disability Voices Tasmania has contacted Minister Ellis, who is the new Minister responsible for housing, with an invitation to a meeting to discuss these issues and more.
