The Association of Consulting Architects (ACA) has launched a petition opposing Victorian government plans to fold the Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV) into a broader Business and Professions Regulator.
The ARBV is the statutory authority responsible for registering and regulating Victorian architects, including the enforcement of professional standards, complaints handling and consumer protection. Petitioners argue that if the ARBV is not retained as a standalone entity, it could undermine independent, profession-specific oversight, weakening transparency, accountability and public confidence in the profession.
The petition notes the ARBV is self-funded through registration fees and does not draw from the government budget.
At the time of writing, the petition had attracted 855 signatures.
Consultation on the future of the Architects Regulations 2015 was undertaken between December 2025 and February 2026 as part of a sunset review that assessed whether the current regulatory framework for registration and practice remained effective and continued to uphold professional standards, public safety and effective regulatory oversight. The review came after the Victorian government committed to the expanding the role of Business Licensing Authority and establishing a single Business and Professions Regulator that would absorb the ARBV, along with the Surveyors Registration Board and the Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board.
The ACA warned that the implications of such a decision could extend well beyond Victoria and set a national precedent.
“There are concerns this change could affect architects’ ability to practise interstate or overseas … It may also impact architectural education and the future workforce. Victoria produces 43 percent of Australia’s Master of Architecture graduates across five accredited programs, including many international students. Misalignment with the national system risks uncertainty in recognition, mobility, registration and accreditation,” said the ACA.
The association also argued there had been “little evidence presented” that merging the ARBV into a broader “super-regulator” would “improve safety, consumer outcomes or the quality of the built environment.”
The Australian Institute of Architects said it is actively engaged in discussions with the Victorian government, the ARBV and other key stakeholders regarding the proposed changes. The Institute said the discussions were taking place alongside the National Competition Council’s review of Australia’s mutual recognition schemes, which is examining consistency between registration systems and professional mobility across states and territories.
“The Institute’s position is that the public interest role of state and territory architects’ boards must be the priority, while improving their capacity to operate within a more consistent and interoperable national framework,” said the Institute.
“We are continuing to work collaboratively with government, regulators and stakeholders to ensure any proposed reforms maintain consumer protection, professional oversight and confidence in architectural registration standards.”
The petition closes on 31 August 2026.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
