ACA + Consult Australia formalise collaboration
The Association of Consulting Architects (ACA) is pleased to announce a new collaborative advocacy commitment with Consult Australia, strengthening a long-standing collaboration between our two business-focused organisations.
Businesses providing architectural and engineering solutions play a critical role around Australia and across sectors. The ACA and Consult Australia are the leading voices for these businesses and are proud to work together on mutual advocacy priorities for the benefit of members and the broader industry.
The ACA is the national voice on the business of architecture, leading industry debate and advocacy on employment, industrial relations and procurement.
Consult Australia represents consulting businesses in design, advisory and engineering, providing high impact advocacy and member resources, especially around contracting and risk, productivity and people.
“For years our organisations have worked together informally, recognising that our members face the same pressures – risk, procurement, productivity and workplace challenges,” says ACA Chief Executive Officer Angelina Pillai.
“I’ve often lamented that our industry is too small for us to operate independently in silos. We need to harness the power of collective agency to break down professional boundaries and maximise our impact.”
The agreement establishes a clear, shared framework for advocacy, with aligned priorities, shared member insights and a focus on practical, business-led solutions.
Consult Australia Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Cartledge says the agreement reflects the reality of how consulting businesses operate across disciplines and markets.
“Consult Australia’s membership includes multidisciplinary firms providing architecture services. In addition, our engineering, environmental and advisory firms are working on the same projects, under the same commercial pressures as consulting architecture firms. Addressing issues shaping delivery that cut across disciplines requires aligned business voices, not parallel conversations,” Jonathan says.
The commitment outlines how collaborative advocacy will be managed nationally, with joint activities including submissions, stakeholder briefings, coordinated messaging and shared policy resources.
Kristy Eulenstein, Consult Australia’s Head of Policy and Government Relations, says the agreement “sends a clear signal to government decision-makers and clients that the consulting sector can speak with clarity and unity on important issues”.
Angelina Pillai agrees. “This agreement formalises collaboration, ensuring our advocacy is more powerful, more visible and more effective. We are stronger together.”