Jun 2016

This month

• National
• NT
• NSW
• Vic
• WA

 

 

NATIONAL

Federal election
The Federal election campaign is underway. We are encouraging members to start conversations with their local candidates, whether for the House of Representatives or the Senate, to discuss their position on various issues around Designing Australia’s Future. Many of our members have said that they want to help, but just aren’t sure how. ‘Designing Australia’s Future’ campaign will rely on everyone doing a little bit – a collaborative effort to turn the discussion to a policy-making level. You will soon be receiving something in the mail to point you to the tools you need to write to your local candidates or to meet with them and have a discussion about Designing Australia’s Future. Materials include the Designing Australia’s Future booklet, fact sheets, talking points, and questions to ask. If you have a conversation, we would like you to share the results using our web page, or upload a related photo to Instagram, or mention it on Twitter with the hashtag #DesignOurFuture16.

 

Australian Consumer Law Amendments
The Australian Consumer Law Review Issues Paper has raised the possibility of removing the exemption from the implied fitness for purpose warranty that currently exists for architects and engineers under section 61 of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).

The Institute made a submission expressing our concerns that this matter has been raised again. The Institute believes that there is no market failure that requires the removal of the exemption, and that removal of the exemption will be detrimental to consumers and will adversely impact on architects, either as principals of smaller practices in particular, or employees dependent upon them for employment as architects. The review will provide other opportunities to comment on proposed changes, and will publish its findings in 2017. See the submission on our website.

 

Non-conforming building products
The Institute made a submission to the Building Ministers’ Working Group on strategies for dealing with non-conforming building products. The Institute put forward the view that there is a need to reform the current system to provide specifiers, purchasers, installers and certifiers with a clear mechanism to determine whether products are fit-for-purpose as defined under the National Construction Code. We also believe that actions need to be taken to remove non-conforming products at the point of sale and to proactively identify and remove non-conforming products from our buildings. One immediate solution to prevent further use of non-conforming products is for regulators to enforce existing regulations, which requires the appropriate resources to implement proper enforcement processes. See the submission on our website.

 

 

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Dual Occupancy in Zone SD
The NT chapter recently supported the introduction of Dual Occupancy to SD sites, as a natural and sustainable response to our increasing urban populations. They put forward the view that it is an effective planning instrument in reducing the sprawl of Darwin urban settlements. Correctly implemented, a Dual Occupancy policy is able to facilitate the provision of additional housing opportunities in areas which are proximate to goods and services, and with existing levels of high amenity. The submission also covered issues such as lot sizes, and design controls.

 

Remote Housing Designs 
The NT Chapter commented on the Department of Housing’s proposed remote housing designs, pointing out the expertise of NT architects to deliver climatically responsive and culturally appropriate housing for indigenous Australians. The Chapter commented on the process to be followed, consideration of climate in the design process, housing for health, disability access, energy performance, community development and tenancy support.

 

 

NEW SOUTH WALES

Planning reform
The Institute’s NSW Chapter was a founding member (with PIA, the Property Council and the Sydney Business Chamber) of the Coalition for NSW Planning Reform in 2007. The group met with Planning Minister Rob Stokes in February to persuade the Baird Government to improve the functioning of the planning system under the current legislation, while also providing stepping stones towards a more comprehensive overhaul through new legislation at a later date.

The NSW Government has recently had a series of consultations with industry and professional groups regarding amendments to the legislation that would go some way towards the achievement of the coalition’s objective. We are now preparing for another meeting with the Minister to urge him to make further, more substantial, reforms.

 

 

VICTORIA

Apartment Standards
In April, the Chapter made a further submission to the Department of Planning that will feed into the final draft of the standards that will be out for public comment in the next couple of weeks – we will respond to this next iteration of the draft.

Central City Built Form Controls
In May, the Chapter made a short submission to the Government on the proposed Melbourne C270 Amendment, which introduces floor area ratios (18:1) – this includes the proposal to use the Institute’s competition guidelines to run design competitions as one mechanism for encouraging design excellence.

Zoning Reform review
In April, the Chapter made a written submission and a physical presentation to the Residential Development Review Advisory Committee in response to an invitation to comment on the application of zones that provide for residential development in metropolitan Melbourne and the four regional cities of Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong and Latrobe.

Registration of Project Managers
In May, Chapter members had an initial meeting with the Department of Planning to discuss regulatory impact statement being developed to review potential to mandate the registration of project managers.

 

 

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Planning issues
The WA Chapter informed the new Minister for Planning of the major concerns held by the Institute on issues such as housing diversity and density, development assessment panels, and South Perth Amendment No 46.

This month’s policy update covers two federal initiatives; the Smart Cities Plan and a summary of the Federal budget.

 

SMART CITIES PLAN

The Australian Institute of Architects welcomed the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Smart Cities Plan released at the Cities Summit in Melbourne on Friday 29 April. The building sector has long called for a whole-of-government approach to planning, energy efficiency measures, infrastructure investment and urban design, to create better long-term outcomes for cities.

Professor Ken Maher, President Elect of the Institute congratulated the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP and Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation, the Hon Angus Taylor MP on an ambitious and timely plan for Australian cities.

‘The Institute is passionate about improving the quality of our built environment and addressing the urban challenges. Cities have been the orphan of public policy in the past and we have long advocated that the Federal government focus on Australia’s future towns and cities. This plan places cities firmly on the agenda.’

‘Architects are firm believers in strategic capital city planning to promote globally competitive, productive, sustainable and socially inclusive cities’ Prof Maher said.
The initiative was warmly received by the profession when it was discussed at the National Architecture Conference held in Adelaide on April 30.

The Transforming Populations session of the conference, chaired by Prof Maher heard about the bold ambition to create 30 minute cities, and to deliver a vision for the cities of the future where there is less reliance on cars and better transport connections, where density is done well, where infrastructure planning follows strategic urban planning, and where communities are brought together in a way that supports liveability and sustainability.

‘Collaboration between all levels of government and industry is the key to making City Deals a success’ according to Prof Maher.

‘One area that has not been addressed is the critical importance of design in building the cities of tomorrow. While the plan includes an examination of housing supply and planning changes, it is essential that architecture is used as an agency to improve the built environment and to produce sociable and equitable cities, and for the delivery design excellence to be a requirement for all project funding.’

We will be looking closely at the Smart Cities Plan over the coming weeks to provide further input. We are actively seeking members’ views. Please forward any comments to policy@architecture.com.au

 

FEDERAL BUDGET

The Federal Budget was delivered on Tuesday May 3. The following summarises some of the key points:

The Economy

• The government expects an underlying cash deficit of $37.1 billion in 2016-17, down from an estimated $39.8 billion in 2015-16
• The government had forecast the deficit falling to $6 billion by 2019-20 and a balanced budget by 2020-21
• Inflation is forecast to grow to 2 per cent by 2016-17

 

Income tax

• The upper limit for the middle income tax bracket is to rise to $87,000 from $80,000 from 1 July
• The upper limit for the middle income tax bracket is to rise to $87,000 from $80,000 from 1 July
• The temporary deficit levy of 2 per cent on income over $180,000 will be introduced in 2017

 

Infrastructure

• An additional $33 billion over the forward estimates is provided to deliver road and rail upgrades
• $594 million is to go to Australian Rail Track Corporation for the proposed Melbourne/Brisbane rail link
• $2 billion has been allocated for investment in dams and pipelines nationally

 

Superannuation

• Savings are to come from lowering the caps on concessional super contributions — such as employer payments and salary sacrifice — to $25,000 a year
• The amount of super that can be transferred into zero-tax retirement phase accounts will be limited to $1.6 million

 

Small business

• The small business tax rate will be lowered by 1 per cent to 27.5 per cent
• The turnover threshold for small businesses increased from $2 million to $10 million giving access to tax incentives
• From 1 July, the increase to instant write-off for equipment purchases will be extended until 30 June 2017 to businesses with a turnover less than $10 million
• Access to tax concessions increased to more than 90,000 additional small businesses

 

Jobs

• Youth job seekers who need to boost their job-readiness will take part in intensive pre-employment skills within five months of registering with jobactive
• An internship program with up to 120,000 placements over four years will be introduced to help young job seekers who have been employed for six months or more
• Job seekers will receive $200 per fortnight on top of their regular income support payment while doing an internship
• Businesses will receive an upfront payment of $1000 when they take on an intern
• Australian employers will be eligible for a Youth Bonus wage subsidy between $6500 and $10,000 depending on young person’s job readiness

 

Education

• Investment to education, training and child care will increase to more than $41.8 million in 2016-17. Early education and care will increase by 9.6 per cent to $8.6 billion, schools will rise by 8 per cent to $17.6 billion, higher education will increase by 0.9 per cent to $12.3 billion and skills up 7.7 per cent to $3.3 billion
• The Government’s Higher Education reforms have been delayed by 12 months and university fee