The government has announced plans to streamline construction to boost housing supply on the back of last week’s economic roundtable.

The reforms would fast-track environmental approvals delayed by red tape and leverage AI to get more properties to market sooner.

“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.

The government will pause changes to the National Construction code for four years to provide certainty to builders.

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.

Property Council of Australia chief executive Mike Zorbas backed the move.

“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.

The move is supported by industry groups and the opposition.

“We needed the shackles of over regulation removed for us to really build and build fast,” Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn said.

The seven-star energy efficiency requirements will remain in place.

The challenge is building quality quickly and not sacrificing safety for speed.

“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.

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.

“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.

That challenge is likely to become a defining part of this government’s future as well.