ARBV Update
Simon Hanger, ACA Victoria President, provides an update on the integration of the ARBV into the newly created Victorian Building Authority.
Together with representatives of the Australian Institute of Architects I have been attending briefing meetings with the Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure to discuss the integration of the registration of architects, presently carried out by the Architects Registration Board of Victoria, into the Government’s new governance and regularity framework, being the recently created Victorian Building Authority.
In response to issues discussed at these meetings the Department has now provided the following further information regarding the progress of the process.
The Architects Act 1991
- The Architects Act with the current regulatory functions will be retained including the position of the Registrar.
- The restrictions of the use of and protection of the title ‘Architect’ and the particular expressions set out in Section 8 of the Act will continue.
Current functions of the ARBV
- All of the current functions of the ARBV will continue at the VBA, including course accreditation, conduct of examinations, professional registration and disciplinary processes, work on continuing professional development and mutual recognition.
Representation of architects at the VBA
- Mr Geoffrey London, the Victorian Government Architect, was appointed as member of the VBA Board on 1 July 2013.
- It is also proposed to retain the ARBV Tribunal Panel (with the same composition) to conduct inquiries concerning architects.
- It is intended that a separate Registrar will be retained, as will the provision in Section 18B that will enable the VBA to appoint a person to assist it in determining whether or not an inquiry should be held. Retaining this provision will give the VBA the flexibility to call on additional expertise from architects as is currently the case.
Benefits of integration with the VBA
- Consumers will only need to go to one place to check the discipline history of all practitioners and professionals involved in designing and building their homes.
- Registration of business entities, companies and partnerships, in the same way as for individual architects, will continue and will be a useful model for the registration of corporations for other business entities.
Other issues that will continue to be discussed with the Department include implementation of mandatory continuing professional development, the possibility of the introduction in Victoria of the SEPP 65 regulations that exist in New South Wales, and the potential for registration of project managers.
Simon Hanger is ACA – Vic/Tas President. This article was first published in ACA Communique November 2013.