The Victorian chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects and the Association of Consulting Architects have voiced their alarm regarding a proposed amendment to the Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV).
Under the proposed change making its way through parliament, the ARBV would require only three board members to have an architectural qualification, and none will be required to be registered architects, out of the board’s total nine members.
The proposed changes will put Victoria out of step with architects registration boards in other states where the majority of board members are architects. For example, in New South Wales, six of 11 board members are architects, four of seven board members are architects in Queensland, and six of 10 members are architects in Western Australia.
Currently, the ARBV has 10 members, five of whom must be registered architects, alongside important consumer and construction industry representatives.
The Victorian chapter president David Wagner said the proposed changes to the board regulations will place consumers at risk.
“The current composition has ensured a robust base of direct professional insights into the high standards required for architectural professional conduct and practice competency alongside the important perspectives of the consumer and construction industry stakeholders,” he said.
Architectural registration ensures that practising individuals satisfy a range of competency requirements and can demonstrate a range of experience and industry expertise to safely and suitably carry out complex processes.
The Institute has argued that the shift to no registered members on the ARBV board is “markedly out of step” with other professional registration and regulation boards. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, for example, and the Medical Board of Australia each have eight members from their professions on their respective 11 and 12-member boards.
Victorian president of the Association of Consulting Architects Paul Viney added that proposed changes “do not equip the board to adequately undertake its role with the required experience, expertise and balance.”
Both industry bodies have called on the Planning Minister to amend the proposed change under the Building, Planning and Heritage Legislation Amendment Bill to retain five registered architects on the new nine-member board.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
