<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government has announced plans to streamline construction to boost housing supply on the back of last week's economic roundtable.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The reforms would fast-track environmental approvals delayed by red tape and leverage AI to get more properties to market sooner.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We want builders doing what they do best and that's building high quality homes for Australians - we don't want them stuck in the back office filling in forms," Housing Minister Clare O'Neil said today.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/tooleren-vale-crash-two-killed/0bd8c28b-9d90-4b11-98aa-1ce8c7f70ecd"><strong><span>Two killed in head-on collision near Melbourne police operation</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government will pause changes to the National Construction code for four years to provide certainty to builders.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It will use AI to speed up approvals, fast tracking 26,000 homes currently held up by environmental approvals process, and incentivising more prefabricated and modular homes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Property Council of Australia chief executive Mike Zorbas backed the move.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/building-code-changes-pause-australia-housing-crisis/2b4f38bb-ea24-4209-a191-84fd99cd37c9" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's a win for housing, a win for housing affordability and it's actually going to give us a better construction code," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The move is supported by industry groups and the opposition.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/blue-mountains-australia-police-incident/5866891d-cd2f-49b3-9bda-1df08390a302"><strong><span>Three people found unresponsive, two with stab wounds, in Blue Mountains home</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We needed the shackles of over regulation removed for us to really build and build fast," Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The seven-star energy efficiency requirements will remain in place.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The challenge is building quality quickly and not sacrificing safety for speed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Tools like AI are the the things we'll use to make sure we get great quality standards but those standards are easy for builders to use," O'Neil said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Difficulty getting into the housing market is one of the biggest gripes of younger Australians right now, and long term the government vowing to examine how our tax system hurts younger workers as well.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We need to insure that the fair go is the defining part of our future and not just the defining part of our past," Treasurer Jim Chalmers said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That challenge is likely to become a defining part of this government's future as well.</span></div></div>