Build for cyclonic winds: call for tougher home construction standards
In a new report on how climate affects Australian homes, the authority recommended changing the national construction code - which sets minimum building standards - to ensure properties can better withstand wind, floods, bushfires, coastal inundation, and heatwaves.
In the wake of Cyclone Alfred, which swept into south-east Queensland and northern NSW in March 2025, Mr Kean said it was time to rethink building standards.
"Climate change is creating the conditions for extreme storms much further south than in the past, so it makes sense to look at extending cyclone building standards down the coast to reflect today's real risks," Mr Kean said.
"Parts of coastal Queensland and [Western Australia] not now covered by cyclone construction standards may need to be, and soon."
Existing codes only required buildings north of Bundaberg - some 350 kilometres beyond Brisbane - to be able to withstand cyclonic winds, the Home safe: national leadership in adapting to a changing climate report pointed out.
Mr Kean said it was also time to rethink where homes were being built in the first place.
"As flood hazards change, we need to adapt our thinking about where to build new homes and suburbs," he said.
Insurance was "costing households too much" as premiums rose in line with growing risk.
The record-breaking May floods across the NSW mid-north coast and Hunter regions claimed the lives of five people, inundated hundreds of homes and stranded tens of thousands of people.
Extreme weather events had already cost the Australian economy $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025, the Climate Change Authority report, due to be released on June 19, found.
By the end of the decade climate change was expected to wipe more than $500 billion off the property market.
The report also found extreme weather events led to poorer physical and mental health, as well as substandard living conditions.
Building codes developed half a century ago to protect homes from cyclones should be extended "much further south" to reflect increasing extreme weather events, Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean says.
In a new report on how climate affects Australian homes, the authority recommended changing the national construction code - which sets minimum building standards - to ensure properties can better withstand wind, floods, bushfires, coastal inundation, and heatwaves.
In the wake of Cyclone Alfred, which swept into south-east Queensland and northern NSW in March 2025, Mr Kean said it was time to rethink building standards.
"Climate change is creating the conditions for extreme storms much further south than in the past, so it makes sense to look at extending cyclone building standards down the coast to reflect today's real risks," Mr Kean said.
"Parts of coastal Queensland and [Western Australia] not now covered by cyclone construction standards may need to be, and soon."
Existing codes only required buildings north of Bundaberg - some 350 kilometres beyond Brisbane - to be able to withstand cyclonic winds, the Home safe: national leadership in adapting to a changing climate report pointed out.
Mr Kean said it was also time to rethink where homes were being built in the first place.
"As flood hazards change, we need to adapt our thinking about where to build new homes and suburbs," he said.
Insurance was "costing households too much" as premiums rose in line with growing risk.
The record-breaking May floods across the NSW mid-north coast and Hunter regions claimed the lives of five people, inundated hundreds of homes and stranded tens of thousands of people.
Extreme weather events had already cost the Australian economy $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025, the Climate Change Authority report, due to be released on June 19, found.
By the end of the decade climate change was expected to wipe more than $500 billion off the property market.
The report also found extreme weather events led to poorer physical and mental health, as well as substandard living conditions.
Building codes developed half a century ago to protect homes from cyclones should be extended "much further south" to reflect increasing extreme weather events, Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean says.
In a new report on how climate affects Australian homes, the authority recommended changing the national construction code - which sets minimum building standards - to ensure properties can better withstand wind, floods, bushfires, coastal inundation, and heatwaves.
In the wake of Cyclone Alfred, which swept into south-east Queensland and northern NSW in March 2025, Mr Kean said it was time to rethink building standards.
"Climate change is creating the conditions for extreme storms much further south than in the past, so it makes sense to look at extending cyclone building standards down the coast to reflect today's real risks," Mr Kean said.
"Parts of coastal Queensland and [Western Australia] not now covered by cyclone construction standards may need to be, and soon."
Existing codes only required buildings north of Bundaberg - some 350 kilometres beyond Brisbane - to be able to withstand cyclonic winds, the Home safe: national leadership in adapting to a changing climate report pointed out.
Mr Kean said it was also time to rethink where homes were being built in the first place.
"As flood hazards change, we need to adapt our thinking about where to build new homes and suburbs," he said.
Insurance was "costing households too much" as premiums rose in line with growing risk.
The record-breaking May floods across the NSW mid-north coast and Hunter regions claimed the lives of five people, inundated hundreds of homes and stranded tens of thousands of people.
Extreme weather events had already cost the Australian economy $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025, the Climate Change Authority report, due to be released on June 19, found.
By the end of the decade climate change was expected to wipe more than $500 billion off the property market.
The report also found extreme weather events led to poorer physical and mental health, as well as substandard living conditions.
Building codes developed half a century ago to protect homes from cyclones should be extended "much further south" to reflect increasing extreme weather events, Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean says.
In a new report on how climate affects Australian homes, the authority recommended changing the national construction code - which sets minimum building standards - to ensure properties can better withstand wind, floods, bushfires, coastal inundation, and heatwaves.
In the wake of Cyclone Alfred, which swept into south-east Queensland and northern NSW in March 2025, Mr Kean said it was time to rethink building standards.
"Climate change is creating the conditions for extreme storms much further south than in the past, so it makes sense to look at extending cyclone building standards down the coast to reflect today's real risks," Mr Kean said.
"Parts of coastal Queensland and [Western Australia] not now covered by cyclone construction standards may need to be, and soon."
Existing codes only required buildings north of Bundaberg - some 350 kilometres beyond Brisbane - to be able to withstand cyclonic winds, the Home safe: national leadership in adapting to a changing climate report pointed out.
Mr Kean said it was also time to rethink where homes were being built in the first place.
"As flood hazards change, we need to adapt our thinking about where to build new homes and suburbs," he said.
Insurance was "costing households too much" as premiums rose in line with growing risk.
The record-breaking May floods across the NSW mid-north coast and Hunter regions claimed the lives of five people, inundated hundreds of homes and stranded tens of thousands of people.
Extreme weather events had already cost the Australian economy $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025, the Climate Change Authority report, due to be released on June 19, found.
By the end of the decade climate change was expected to wipe more than $500 billion off the property market.
The report also found extreme weather events led to poorer physical and mental health, as well as substandard living conditions.
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Once we were comforted by the sound of rain on a tin roof, today we hope the rain lasts just long enough to replenish the soils and water courses and doesn't become too heavy or last too long to cause another flood. Record-breaking floods have arrived with an unwelcome regularity in our region, starting in 2020, then again in 2021 and 2022 and now for centres like Taree, a record flood in May 2025. These flood events followed the devastation of the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/20, creating a pattern of natural disasters that appear to be increasing in frequency, taking an ever-growing financial and emotional toll on our communities and raising questions about building resiliency. The financial costs are staggering, with the Federal and NSW governments having spent $9.5 billion on disaster relief and recovery since the summer of 2019, and that does not include the funding for the D classification disaster relief package announced for Mid North Coast and Hunter farmers. In June's State budget, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey set aside $4.2b in disaster relief across the forward estimates, a figure that is likely to increase in response to both previous and potentially new natural disasters. NSW Treasury has projected that the cost of natural disasters would reach $24b/year by 2070-71 due to climate change. Since the 2019-20 bushfires, disaster relief and recovery across the State has increased by more than 1,000 per cent compared to the six years prior to 2019-20. On top of that are the insurance claims estimated to be $200m for the May 2025 floods, based on 6000 claims, of which 80 per cent are for damaged homes. The Climate Change Authority has reported that millions of Australian homes are facing escalating risks from natural hazards, which are growing more intense due to climate change. Bushfires, cyclones and floods are currently costing Australian homeowners around $4 billion a year in cleanup and recovery costs. These costs are estimated to grow to about $8.7 billion a year by 2050. "Climate change is projected to wipe over $500 billion off the Australian property market by 2030," according to the Authority. The question for our communities is how best to build sustainable, safe communities in a changing climate? So what about solutions? The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), the national body representing the planning profession, has been working on three basic messages, which they say are essential to build community resilience and reduce future risk. PIA is supported by the Insurance Council and is advocating for strengthening the capacity of all tiers of Government to plan, invest and act by: "Planning is at the heart of building more resilient communities," PIA CEO Matt Collins said. "With clear strategies, good data and targeted investment, we can deliver better-located housing and reduce future risk. "Where we live-and how we plan for it-will determine how well we cope with the challenges of a changing climate. We need to act now." The Institute's national policy director, John Brockhoff, said that to achieve the best planning outcomes, we have to listen to communities, assess their appetite for risk and have them discuss planning outcomes in collaboration with emergency services like the SES and RFS. "We should empower communities to be involved in the planning processes," he said. On the PIA's first message - no new homes in harm's way. Such a policy may require state government legislation so that council planning decisions are not overturned in court. Changes to building standards have already been adopted in flood-prone areas like Lismore and Brisbane, especially on recovery work in homes. And it is also being adopted when it comes to rebuilding damaged infrastructure, such as stronger higher bridges. But Mr Brockhoff said the most difficult message is, the last, the planning of retreat and voluntary relocation. "Those questions are hard. Public funds have to be made available for this option, and the community has to work out where they can relocate to, " he said. It has been done before - in 1916, the town of Clermont in Queensland was moved to higher ground after a devastating flood hit the community when 21 inches fell in a matter of hours in late December of that year. And more recently, also in Queensland, in the Lockyer Valley, after the January 2011 flood, the town of Grantham was relocated to higher ground. There are currently buy-backs underway in Lismore following the 2022 floods. Mr Brockhoff said the Institute would also continue to campaign for more accurate flood modelling and a national approach to flood adaptation planning. Once we were comforted by the sound of rain on a tin roof, today we hope the rain lasts just long enough to replenish the soils and water courses and doesn't become too heavy or last too long to cause another flood. Record-breaking floods have arrived with an unwelcome regularity in our region, starting in 2020, then again in 2021 and 2022 and now for centres like Taree, a record flood in May 2025. These flood events followed the devastation of the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/20, creating a pattern of natural disasters that appear to be increasing in frequency, taking an ever-growing financial and emotional toll on our communities and raising questions about building resiliency. The financial costs are staggering, with the Federal and NSW governments having spent $9.5 billion on disaster relief and recovery since the summer of 2019, and that does not include the funding for the D classification disaster relief package announced for Mid North Coast and Hunter farmers. In June's State budget, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey set aside $4.2b in disaster relief across the forward estimates, a figure that is likely to increase in response to both previous and potentially new natural disasters. NSW Treasury has projected that the cost of natural disasters would reach $24b/year by 2070-71 due to climate change. Since the 2019-20 bushfires, disaster relief and recovery across the State has increased by more than 1,000 per cent compared to the six years prior to 2019-20. On top of that are the insurance claims estimated to be $200m for the May 2025 floods, based on 6000 claims, of which 80 per cent are for damaged homes. The Climate Change Authority has reported that millions of Australian homes are facing escalating risks from natural hazards, which are growing more intense due to climate change. Bushfires, cyclones and floods are currently costing Australian homeowners around $4 billion a year in cleanup and recovery costs. These costs are estimated to grow to about $8.7 billion a year by 2050. "Climate change is projected to wipe over $500 billion off the Australian property market by 2030," according to the Authority. The question for our communities is how best to build sustainable, safe communities in a changing climate? So what about solutions? The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), the national body representing the planning profession, has been working on three basic messages, which they say are essential to build community resilience and reduce future risk. PIA is supported by the Insurance Council and is advocating for strengthening the capacity of all tiers of Government to plan, invest and act by: "Planning is at the heart of building more resilient communities," PIA CEO Matt Collins said. "With clear strategies, good data and targeted investment, we can deliver better-located housing and reduce future risk. "Where we live-and how we plan for it-will determine how well we cope with the challenges of a changing climate. We need to act now." The Institute's national policy director, John Brockhoff, said that to achieve the best planning outcomes, we have to listen to communities, assess their appetite for risk and have them discuss planning outcomes in collaboration with emergency services like the SES and RFS. "We should empower communities to be involved in the planning processes," he said. On the PIA's first message - no new homes in harm's way. Such a policy may require state government legislation so that council planning decisions are not overturned in court. Changes to building standards have already been adopted in flood-prone areas like Lismore and Brisbane, especially on recovery work in homes. And it is also being adopted when it comes to rebuilding damaged infrastructure, such as stronger higher bridges. But Mr Brockhoff said the most difficult message is, the last, the planning of retreat and voluntary relocation. "Those questions are hard. Public funds have to be made available for this option, and the community has to work out where they can relocate to, " he said. It has been done before - in 1916, the town of Clermont in Queensland was moved to higher ground after a devastating flood hit the community when 21 inches fell in a matter of hours in late December of that year. And more recently, also in Queensland, in the Lockyer Valley, after the January 2011 flood, the town of Grantham was relocated to higher ground. There are currently buy-backs underway in Lismore following the 2022 floods. Mr Brockhoff said the Institute would also continue to campaign for more accurate flood modelling and a national approach to flood adaptation planning. Once we were comforted by the sound of rain on a tin roof, today we hope the rain lasts just long enough to replenish the soils and water courses and doesn't become too heavy or last too long to cause another flood. Record-breaking floods have arrived with an unwelcome regularity in our region, starting in 2020, then again in 2021 and 2022 and now for centres like Taree, a record flood in May 2025. These flood events followed the devastation of the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/20, creating a pattern of natural disasters that appear to be increasing in frequency, taking an ever-growing financial and emotional toll on our communities and raising questions about building resiliency. The financial costs are staggering, with the Federal and NSW governments having spent $9.5 billion on disaster relief and recovery since the summer of 2019, and that does not include the funding for the D classification disaster relief package announced for Mid North Coast and Hunter farmers. In June's State budget, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey set aside $4.2b in disaster relief across the forward estimates, a figure that is likely to increase in response to both previous and potentially new natural disasters. NSW Treasury has projected that the cost of natural disasters would reach $24b/year by 2070-71 due to climate change. Since the 2019-20 bushfires, disaster relief and recovery across the State has increased by more than 1,000 per cent compared to the six years prior to 2019-20. On top of that are the insurance claims estimated to be $200m for the May 2025 floods, based on 6000 claims, of which 80 per cent are for damaged homes. The Climate Change Authority has reported that millions of Australian homes are facing escalating risks from natural hazards, which are growing more intense due to climate change. Bushfires, cyclones and floods are currently costing Australian homeowners around $4 billion a year in cleanup and recovery costs. These costs are estimated to grow to about $8.7 billion a year by 2050. "Climate change is projected to wipe over $500 billion off the Australian property market by 2030," according to the Authority. The question for our communities is how best to build sustainable, safe communities in a changing climate? So what about solutions? The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), the national body representing the planning profession, has been working on three basic messages, which they say are essential to build community resilience and reduce future risk. PIA is supported by the Insurance Council and is advocating for strengthening the capacity of all tiers of Government to plan, invest and act by: "Planning is at the heart of building more resilient communities," PIA CEO Matt Collins said. "With clear strategies, good data and targeted investment, we can deliver better-located housing and reduce future risk. "Where we live-and how we plan for it-will determine how well we cope with the challenges of a changing climate. We need to act now." The Institute's national policy director, John Brockhoff, said that to achieve the best planning outcomes, we have to listen to communities, assess their appetite for risk and have them discuss planning outcomes in collaboration with emergency services like the SES and RFS. "We should empower communities to be involved in the planning processes," he said. On the PIA's first message - no new homes in harm's way. Such a policy may require state government legislation so that council planning decisions are not overturned in court. Changes to building standards have already been adopted in flood-prone areas like Lismore and Brisbane, especially on recovery work in homes. And it is also being adopted when it comes to rebuilding damaged infrastructure, such as stronger higher bridges. But Mr Brockhoff said the most difficult message is, the last, the planning of retreat and voluntary relocation. "Those questions are hard. Public funds have to be made available for this option, and the community has to work out where they can relocate to, " he said. It has been done before - in 1916, the town of Clermont in Queensland was moved to higher ground after a devastating flood hit the community when 21 inches fell in a matter of hours in late December of that year. And more recently, also in Queensland, in the Lockyer Valley, after the January 2011 flood, the town of Grantham was relocated to higher ground. There are currently buy-backs underway in Lismore following the 2022 floods. Mr Brockhoff said the Institute would also continue to campaign for more accurate flood modelling and a national approach to flood adaptation planning.
