More Rights. Less Red Tape. More Responsibility.
Simpler rules and stronger owner rights are welcome. The responsibility to make sound, fair and properly authorised strata decisions remains.
LESS RED TAPE DOES NOT MEAN LESS RESPONSIBILITY.
A simpler process can remove an unnecessary step. It cannot replace the judgement needed to make the decision well.
A reform headline is the beginning of the conversation
An owner reads that strata rules are becoming simpler. A committee hears that owners will have stronger rights. The next question is usually practical: “What does that mean for our building?”
On 15 October 2026, NSW Parliament passed the latest major strata reform package. It includes changes addressing two-lot administration, EV charging on an owner's lot, bonds and fees, building-manager accountability and strata compliance.
These are important changes. But the bigger governance question is what we do with the framework they create.
PASSED DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN COMMENCED.
Parliament passing a bill, the bill receiving assent and an individual provision starting to operate are different steps. At the source check on 19 October 2026, Parliament's record listed this package as awaiting assent. The passed bill provides for specified amendments to start on assent and others on dates appointed by proclamation.
Do not change a scheme's procedure simply because a headline says a reform has passed. Check the provision, its commencement and any transitional arrangements. Wednesday's follow-up will check the major items individually.
Keep earlier reforms separate, too. NSW Government guidance says the two-lot exemption from annual Strata Hub reporting already started on 1 October 2026. That does not establish that every other two-lot change in this package has started.
Fewer steps still need a sound decision
The package would simplify formal administration for two-lot schemes. The practical need for neighbours to agree on shared costs, repairs and responsibilities remains. Simpler administration should make those decisions easier to manage and explain.
The EV changes would strengthen an owner's pathway to install charging on their own lot without unreasonable objection. That is a reason to understand the applicable process, the proposed installation and its effect on the building. Stronger rights still need to be exercised through the correct process.
Fairer limits on bonds and fees also invite a straightforward governance question: what is this charge for, and how can we explain it? A familiar fee is not a substitute for checking the authority, cost and terms behind it.
Authority requires accountability
The package also addresses building-manager accountability and stronger compliance mechanisms, including publication of regulatory action. For a committee, the practical lesson is to understand the role, ask for reliable information and follow through on agreed actions.
A position title, a new right or a shorter procedure does not answer every question. Who can decide? What authority applies? What information is missing? What needs to be recorded and explained to owners?
Legislation creates the framework. Good governance is the work of using it fairly, consistently and with an understanding of the people affected.
The Final Reform Wave
MONDAY — RIGHTS: the bigger governance perspective.
WEDNESDAY — RULES: what the reforms change, with the commencement status of each major item checked separately.
FRIDAY — REAL-LIFE DECISION: applying the EV charging reforms to a realistic committee scenario.
The responsibility remains
Owners and committees need processes they can understand and decisions they can trust. Removing unnecessary administration helps. Clear authority, reliable information and a useful record help make the change work in practice.
Before changing a scheme procedure, ask: Has this provision commenced? Does it apply here? Who has authority? What process and record are required? Explain the next step in language owners can understand.
Hold this thoughtGood reform should make strata easier to navigate. Good governance is what makes it work. How is easy when you know the why.
Primary sources checked 19 October 2026. This is a governance reflection, not an item-by-item commencement guide. The parliamentary record was awaiting assent at the check. Recheck assent, proclamations, regulations and transitional provisions before publication or changing a scheme procedure. General educational information only, not legal advice.
Turn the explanation into practice.
Open the linked Guide or Academy pathway when you need the complete checks, official sources and practical learning.