Victoria to introduce new building standards

The Victorian government says it will introduce new building standards for new homes that provide for people who have difficulty getting around.

The state government says the standards, including wider doorways and accessible toilets, will help keep people out of aged care and hospital.

Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Bill Shorten, has praised the plan.

“Too many homes are not suitable for people with disability and are difficult to adapt to the needs of our ageing population,” he said.

“This issue has gone unaddressed by state governments for too long. I would urge the other states to follow their lead and work to improve the accessibility of all new homes.”

Ninety six per cent of new homes in Victoria don’t meet the proposed standards and are costly to adapt, he added.

Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) chief executive officer, Greg Mundy, has also welcomed the moves as enabling  more practical and accessible housing, saying the proposed changes were long over due.

“ACSA and the Council on the Ageing (COTA) have been strong advocates for modified building standards for many years,” Mr Mundy said.

“Victoria is to be congratulated for leading the country in developing standards which will improve the lives of older people and those with a disability.

“However, because the ageing of Australia’s population is set to become an issue of unprecedented significance, standards for accessible housing must be adopted nationally.

“Universal design standards providing for building features which assist with access, mobility and safety amount to common sense,” he said.

“The costs associated with making all accommodation user friendly for families throughout their lives, are small in comparison with the huge range of benefits. They are also likely to be recouped when people sell their homes, especially given the dramatically increasing numbers of older Australians.

“Something as simple as wider halls and doorways and reinforced bathroom walls to allow for hand rails to be attached, can make all the difference to the lives of older, and disabled people or in fact for young families. A safe living environment is a boon for a more active and enjoyable life.

“Indeed it is also in keeping with the Federal Government’s agenda of encouraging older Australians to stay living at home for longer.

“If the Federal Government is genuine in its commitment, a national policy to amend the Building Code of Australia to ensure a safe and accessible environment is a natural step and one which should be undertaken as soon as possible.”