ACA National President’s comment – May 2026

The ACA continues to be deeply engaged in a complex and demanding advocacy environment, with Government regularly inviting us to review and respond to a broad range of regulatory, legislative and policy proposals. Much of this work occurs behind the scenes – in consultations, submissions, working groups, stakeholder negotiations and ongoing engagement with decision-makers – but it is critical to ensuring the voice of architectural practice is properly represented where it matters most.

Here in Victoria, that has included sustained efforts to preserve the critical role of the ARBV. We have lobbied hard for a Victorian Parliament petition, which has just gone live. Please take the time to support the petition here . This advocacy sits alongside successful endeavours to protect longstanding secondment arrangements that practices have relied upon for decades.

Last week we also celebrated the inclusion of freely accessible Australian Standards in the Federal Budget, a reform the ACA has advocated for consistently over many years. In particular, I want to acknowledge our CEO, Angelina Pillai, for her leadership through ACIF, which helped drive this outcome. For many practices, maintaining access to the growing number of required Standards has become an increasing financial burden. Making these documents freely available to people working in the construction industry is a practical reform that will not only support better compliance and consistency across the sector but will also make architecture practice more manageable and sustainable. Importantly, it also demonstrates the value of persistent and collaborative advocacy across the industry.

At the same time, we are continuing to expand and strengthen the practical support we offer, including new tools, services and benefits designed to support members in a challenging operating environment.

One of the most significant recent additions is the ACA’s new combined PI and PL insurance initiative, developed specifically for ACA members in partnership with Coverforce Complete.

I recently made the decision to move my own practice’s professional indemnity cover across to this arrangement and wanted to share that experience directly with members.

The process itself was easy and transparent, and the overall value of the offer was clear and compelling. Our practice was offered a meaningful reduction in premium without compromising on the level of protection – an outcome that is particularly important in the current climate.

I mention this because it may be something some members have not yet explored. Even as a benchmarking exercise, it is a worthwhile opportunity to sense-check your current cover and understand what options may now be available.

When your insurance is next due for renewal, I encourage you to request a quote. The Coverforce team takes the time to understand each practice properly and will advise whether the ACA arrangement is the right fit, or whether a broader market approach may be more appropriate. Further information is available here: Combined Insurance for ACA Members.

More broadly, the greater the participation from ACA members, the stronger our collective purchasing power becomes – and the more value we can continue to build into the arrangement over time for practices across the country.