# Coalition plan to scrap energy rules for new homes condemned as ‘cost-of-living timebomb’

https://mins.news/en/item/20342

- The Guardian, 2026-08-12 15:00 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/13/coalition-housing-energy-standards-national-construction-code-new-homes

> Critics say a Coalition proposal to reduce construction costs by abolishing the building code would instead raise energy bills for the poorest households. The plan would remove compulsory energy standards for new homes, which help limit people’s exposure to heat and cold. Andrew Bragg, the opposition’s housing and environment spokesperson, said a Coalition government would reduce the National Construction Code from more than 2,000 pages to 80. Longstanding energy and accessibility requirements would become optional extras, advocates warn, deepening inequality.