NEW South Wales is one of just two states refusing to adopt design standards mandated in the National Construction Code (NCC), with accessibility advocates calling for urgent change.

Two years ago, the NCC established Livable Housing Australia’s ‘Silver Level’ Livable Housing Design standards as mandatory.

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The standards require developers to include basic accessibility requirements in new builds.

To comply with the silver standard, a home must have a level step-free entrance from the street, wider internal doors and corridors, a hobless shower recess, reinforced walls around the toilet, shower and bath, and an easy-access toilet on the entry level.

Building Better Homes campaign spokesperson and wheelchair user Julie Charlton said the government’s refusal to adopt the basic standards for new housing – which was a key recommendation of the Disability Royal Commission – shows a complete disregard for people with disability, older Australians, and others who require accessible housing.

“It’s disgraceful that the NSW Government is lagging behind other states and refusing to adopt these very basic standards,” Ms Charlton said.

“It’s not difficult or expensive to implement these standards but it would change the lives of people with disability and older Australians.

“The Australian Building Codes Board modelling for these standards shows they would only add about one percent to the cost of a new build.”

Ms Charlton said the current standards “force people with disability and older people into specialist disability housing and aged care”, costing the government more.

“Inaccessible housing leaves people isolated, at an increased risk of injury and unable to age at home.

“It also costs the government more to retrofit housing to make it accessible.

“The impacts of this are felt even more deeply in the regions, where resources to make houses accessible are less available.”

Minister for Families and Communities and Minister for Disability Inclusion, Kate Washington, said the NSW Government “continues to consult with stakeholders about whether NSW will adopt the NCC Silver Standard”.

“In the meantime, we are leveraging our record investment in new housing to deliver significant and life changing accessibility outcomes,” she said.

“In this year’s budget, the NSW Government invested $5.1 billion to build 8,400 social housing properties across NSW.

“All of these homes will comply with the National Construction Code’s Silver Standard – making it the largest investment in accessible housing in the state’s history.”

While applauding the State Government’s commitment to making new social housing accessible, Ms Charlton described it as “only a drop in the ocean”.

“It’s time the NSW Government stepped up and ended discriminatory housing standards in NSW,” Ms Charlton said.

By Marian SAMPSON