Oct 2016
Since our last update, we have also advocated at a state and territory level on a number of issues:
With the Institute having identified advocacy as a strategic pillar for the foreseeable future, a policy review is now underway to see which of our existing policies we retain and which are to be updated. The review will include broad consultation with members to identify the most important issues and what needs to be done to ensure our message to governments and the public is clear. New policies can be developed at the instigation of the chapters, national committees and National Council and will go through a similar review process.
Design-led planning
The NSW Planning Minister, Rob Stokes, last month released a draft document to provide policy support for design-led planning in the state. Produced by the Office of the Government Architect in its 200th year, the draft policy Better Placed, has been developed to manage the challenges ahead as NSW absorbs an increasing population. It anticipates a series of design guides to support the future design of infrastructure, architecture and the public domain. Launching the document, Mr Stokes said in order to make people’s lives better through sustainable and inclusive growth, the role of design needs to be elevated.
Welcoming the new policy, the Institute’s NSW President, Shaun Carter, said it will inform a new era of design-led planning, which has the potential to make the state’s towns and cities more individual and interesting. ‘It will give them a better sense of place reflecting the values and interests of their communities,’ he said.
Northern Territory election
Since our last update, a newly elected Labor government has taken office in the Northern Territory. Prior to the election, Labor provided a written response to the NT Chapter’s Key Issues Survey, which contained a number of positive commitments, most notably flagging an expanded and centralised role for the Government Architect. Labor also gave a commitment to consult architects and others involved in the industry before making any changes to the Architects Act. The NT Chapter has reviewed the new Government’s policies and is in the final stages of preparing correspondence to the newly appointed ministers. Central to this is a one-page document prepared to illustrate the value of design across government: Designing a Better Territory – A Primer.
Street design
The NT Chapter, in partnership with a local alderman recently hosted a street design masterclass run by Steve Burgess, a Melbourne-based transport and traffic engineer. This is related to a key local issue of the revitalisation of the Darwin CBD, for which the new government has appointed an assistant minister
Multi-residential/mixed use buildings
The NT Chapter recently convened and facilitated a consultation workshop on behalf of the NT Planning Commission, in order to review two Commission discussion papers: Mixed Use Buildings in Commercial areas and Review of Performance Criteria for Multi Dwelling Residential Zones. The workshop was attended by 30 people from a range of stakeholders representing government, statutory, industry and professional bodies.
Building documentation
The Tasmanian Practice Committee is working with the state’s Department of Justice to determine the minimum level of information which should be provided on building approval documents for Class 2 to Class 9 buildings. The Department has the Director’s Specified List – Schedule 1, which outlines the minimum requirements for design documentation for Class 1 and Class 10 building in Tasmania. The Department is considering expanding this approach to include Class 2 to Class 9 buildings and is holding discussions with members of the Practice Committee to help determine the best way forward.
Interactive tendering
The ACT Chapter, together with a number of other organisations, made a submission to government about the detrimental effect of the interactive tendering process for government projects on the local profession and building and construction industry. The newly introduced interactive tendering process, while appropriate for large projects, is totally inappropriate for small and medium sized projects, where smaller firms are expected to shoulder the cost of performing work with no guarantee of payment for that work. This effectively excludes local firms from the process. We have argued that this is an inappropriate cost and risk shifting to the private sector.
ACT Election
The ACT chapter held a very successful political roundtable leading up to the ACT election to be held on October 15. The roundtable was a joint event with the Planning Institute of Australia and the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects. Around 60 members attended to hear presentations from the Minister for Planning, deputy leader of the opposition and the Leader of the Greens, which was followed by a lively question and answer session. The Chapter has also written to all parties asking a series of questions about issues of importance to the Chapter and we have a dedicated web page for members to post their comments.