Advocacy in Action – December 2025

Emma Brain ,

Advocacy remains a major focus for the ACA. Our national working group meets regularly to discuss tactics for addressing the issues that matter to architectural business owners across the country, in our cities and regional communities. Policy & Advocacy Coordinator Emma Brain offers a summary.

Nationwide, the ACA has been actively pursuing government and key stakeholders with the following agenda:

• Free or affordable Australian Standards
• Stronger support for graduate training and registration, ensuring the cost of developing future architects doesn’t fall solely on practices
• Procurement models that are fair and proportionate, with risk, responsibility and liability matched appropriately to expertise and scope
• Meaningful assistance for small and regional practices, which face the same requirements as larger firms but with far fewer resources
• Clear recognition of the connection between culture, wellbeing and industry performance – emphasising to government that a resilient profession depends on wellbeing, equity, inclusion and respect for all practitioners, including women, graduates, migrants and regional architects.

We raised these issues at the recent ACIF meeting in Canberra, where we had the opportunity to meet with key Members of Parliament and their staff. We are in the process of arranging individual meetings with each MP to ensure that our messages are reinforced and not overlooked. It is clear to us that our position as advocates for the business side of architectural practice is more important than ever.

ADVOCACY IN THE BRANCHES

Our State branches have been busy too, responding to legislation and business issues specific to their local contexts. Here’s a snapshot of this year’s activity…

NSW/ACT

As Branch Advocacy Spokesperson, Stephen Pearse led formal submissions on the following issues:

• NSW Parliament’s review of the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020;
• NSW Planning Lodgement Portal review; and
• the NSW Draft Building Bill Update.

These submissions were directly informed by evidence from the ACA committee and surveys of our broader membership. Armed with this intel, Steve presented at Parliamentary Inquiries and continued to lobby for fairer outcomes for the profession. NSW has had a big and constructive year, solidifying our role as a key contributor to government reform.

QLD/NT

Productivity has been a major concern with the QLD/NT branch, particularly with the government’s focus on the 2032 Olympic Games and eagerness to modernise the construction sector. Two submissions were made to the Queensland Productivity Commission’s Construction Productivity Inquiry, listing a range of key recommendations on everything from procurement and tendering processes through to modern methods of construction. The branch is preparing a member survey to understand better how current government procurement processes are impacting your work. Keep an eye out for this important survey, which will hit your inbox soon.

SA

Throughout the year, the branch has raised the following issues with the Department for Infrastructure and Transport:

• that an architectural degree includes sufficient interior design content for prequalification;
• challenged unfair contract amendments (AS 4122); and
• provided detailed feedback on procurement processes, BIM requirements, fire engineer insurance inconsistencies, cascading tendering, and Defects Liability Period retention.

SA also continued close collaboration with the AIA and Consult Australia, coordinating joint legal and insurance reviews of government contracts and co-signing advocacy letters.

VIC/TAS

The VIC/TAS branch made multiple submissions this year, including:

• the Domestic Building Contracts Amendment Bill;
• the Building Legislation Amendment (Buyer Protections) Bill; and
• the Building Consumer Protections Bill.

ACA Committee representatives in Victoria met with MPs from all sides of the political spectrum and have been invited to participate in a workshop on regulatory details. The committee is also awaiting government responses on both the sunset of the architects’ regulations and the bio-protection bill, and is preparing a letter of support on proposed labour hire reforms that may affect secondment contracts.

Meanwhile, in Tasmania, Debbie Thompson has been actively representing the ACA, attending three government meetings on proposed legislation.

WA

The WA Committee has continued to build relationships and articulate their value to key MPs and other stakeholders within the built environment. Perhaps the highlight was having Premier Roger Cook speak at this year’s Business of Design Lunch. WA Committee representatives submitted feedback on proposed amendments to the Architects Regulations 2005 and were invited to join the R-Codes Stakeholder Reference Group. The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage is seeking project examples to better understand where subdivision red tape – including rigid lot sizes and duplicated compliance checks – is hindering innovative, design-led housing. If your practice has a project delayed by subdivision requirements, please contact the WA branch.