The Australian Institute of Architects joins other industry bodies in welcoming Prime Minister Rudd’s announcement for a Minister for Cities.

The Institute has lobbied for the creation of such a role for many years, through its own policy activities as well as through its involvement with bodies such as the Urban Coalition and ASBEC.

Australia is a highly urbanised nation and as our major towns and cities develop, we face a number of key challenges. From climate change, population growth and an ageing demographic, to an increasing demand for infrastructure, housing affordability pressures and traffic congestion, our cities need the right strategies, policies and processes in place to create a built environment that can sustain us into the future.

Institute CEO, David Parken, said ‘This is very welcome news. A federal champion is urgently needed to drive reforms that better connect urban policies and programs across all levels of government. This role in an expanded Major Cities Unit will bring much needed leadership and vision to the strategic planning of our cities and regions. The federal government must play a key role in ensuring our cities function as well as they can. The Institute urges the other parties to adopt similar strategies as well as to embrace a bipartisan approach, whatever the outcome of the election.’

The Institute recently surveyed the major Australian political parties about their commitment to key issues for the architecture profession, based on the Institute’s five policy priority topics, which include the creation of an Australian Minister for Cities position. The results can be read at architecture.com.au/about-us/policy-advocacy.