Tasmanian politicians demand urgent rule changes to legitimise tiny homes as solution to housing crisis
A group of Tasmanian politicians say change is needed at all levels of government to cement tiny homes on wheels as their own distinctive form of housing to avoid a series of bureaucratic hurdles.
A deputy mayor, state MP and two elected representatives in Canberra will meet on Saturday to call for tiny houses to be classified as their own distinct housing type.
Currently in Tasmania tiny houses on caravans are classed as caravans and do not meet house building standards when someone parks and tries to live in the house permanently.
“The National Building Code needs to be updated to recognize tiny homes,” said independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie.
“Many tiny homes on wheels currently struggle to comply with the National Building Code because they are built as lightweight trailer structures rather than permanent buildings. As a result, many homeowners find they have little choice but to fly under the council’s radar.”
Tiny homes currently run afoul of national residential insulation and accessibility rules, as well as state and municipal wastewater rules.
With construction costs typically ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 before stamp duty in Tasmania, advocates say tiny houses could be part of the solution to the dire housing shortage, apart from bureaucratic nonsense.
Tiny house advocate Clare Glade-Wright, who is also deputy mayor of Kingborough, south of Hobart, says change is needed at all three levels of government.
“I am committed to bringing together all levels of government to deliver these reforms. With the right policy settings, tiny homes can become an excellent, affordable housing option for many Tasmanians, while relieving pressure on the wider housing market.”
“In a housing crisis, it is unacceptable to have tiny homes that people are building but are locked in storage because there is no path to approval.”
Independent state MP Peter George has also joined the chorus lobbying all levels of government.
“Federal and state governments must urgently work together on a range of measures to address our housing crisis,” he said.
“Tiny house living suits more and more people for many reasons, and it makes sense to make the easier choice.”
Independent Tasmanian Senator Tammy Tyrrell said the housing crisis was being made worse by the expense and complications of putting a roof over one’s head.
“Tiny homes and prefabricated units aren’t just a ‘lifestyle choice’; for many Tasmanians, they’re the quickest, most sustainable way to own a home without being saddled with debt they’ll never be able to repay,” Ms Tyrrell said.
“If we continue to use ‘gold-plated’ planning regulations designed for a standard three-bedroom house to stop someone building a tiny house on a plot of land, we are failing.”
