ACT Architects Board

Transmittal Certificate

• ACT Architects Board Transmittal Certificate

Compliance Statement

The ACT Architects Board Annual Report must comply with the 2017 Annual Report Directions (the Directions). The Directions are found at the ACT Legislation Register: http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/ni/2017-280/notification.asp

The Compliance Statement indicates the subsections, under the five Parts of the Directions, that are applicable to the ACT Architects Board and the location of information that satisfies these requirements:

Part 1 Directions Overview

The requirements under Part 1 of the Directions relate to the purpose, timing and distribution, and records keeping of annual reports. The ACT Architects Board Annual Report complies with all subsections of Part 1 under the Directions.

In compliance with section 13 Feedback, Part 1 of the Directions, contact details for ACT Architects Board are provided within the ACT Architects Board Annual Report to provide readers with the opportunity to provide feedback.

Part 2 Agency Annual Report Requirements

The requirements within Part 2 of the Directions are mandatory for all directorates and public sector bodies and ACT Architects Board Annual Report complies with all subsections. The information that satisfies the requirements of Part 2 is found in the ACT Architects Board Annual Report as follows:

• Transmittal Certificate, see page 259;
• Organisational Overview and Performance, inclusive of all subsections, see page 261-262; and
• Financial Management Reporting, inclusive of all subsections, is contained within the CMTEDD Annual report.

Part 3 Reporting by Exception

The ACT Architects Board has nil information to report by exception under Part 3 of the Directions for the 2017‐18 reporting period.

Part 4 Directorate and Public Sector Body Specific Annual Report Requirements

There are no specific annual report requirements for the ACT Architects Board.

Part 5 Whole of Government Annual Reporting

All subsections of Part 5 of the Directions apply to the ACT Architects Board. Consistent with the Directions, the information satisfying these requirements is reported in the one place for all ACTPS Directorates, as follows:

• N. Community Engagement and Support, see the annual report of Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate;
• O. Justice and Community Safety, including all subsections O.1 – O.4, see the annual report of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate;
• P. Public Sector Standards and Workforce Profile, including all subsections P.1 – P.3, see the annual State of the Service Report; and
• Q. Territory Records, see the annual report of Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic, Development Directorate.

ACT Public Service Directorate annual reports are found at the following web address: https://www.cmtedd.act.gov.au/open_government/report/annual_reports

Organisational Overview and Performance

The ACT Architects Board (the Board) is established under the Architects Act 2004 (the Act). The Board ensures registered architects provide services to the public in a professional and competent manner. The Board has a range of powers to investigate complaints against architects and to discipline those who are found to have acted unprofessionally or incompetently. The Board's functions are to:

• register architects;
• investigate complaints given to the Board about registered people and people who have been registered;
• consider whether it is necessary to take disciplinary action against registered people and people who have been registered and, if it is, to take the necessary action;
• consider and report to the Minister about issues referred to the Board by the Minister for advice;
• advise the Minister in relation to the practice of architecture, for example, about codes of professional conduct;
• further a common and harmonious approach to the administration of legislation about architects by cooperation with local jurisdictions;
• accredit courses of study in architecture; and
• provide general advice to consumers about the professional conduct and standards of competence expected of registered architects.

The ACT Architects Board is also part of a national network of Boards which administer the state and territory legislation pertaining to Architectural education and the registration of Architects. The eight state and territory architect registration boards are Nominating Bodies of the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA). AACA was established by the Boards to ensure national consistency in the pathways that lead to registration as an Architect in Australia. The Architects Board of the ACT is represented by the Registrar and the Board Chair, as are the other state and territory registration boards.

The AACA is recognised as the national organisation responsible for advocating, coordinating and facilitating national standards for the registration of architects in Australia and for the recognition of Australian architects overseas by the relevant Registration Authorities. The AACA also has the responsibility for assessment of overseas qualifications in architecture for the purposes of migration to Australia under the Australian Government’s Skilled Migration program.

In 2017-2018 the Board commenced work a draft code of professional conduct. A final draft was circulated for internal review this year and will be reviewed by the relevant policy agency prior to consultation with the industry.

Registrar Functions

The role of the Registrar under the Act is to manage the administration of the board and to maintain the register of Architects.

Complaints and Disciplinary Actions

In each State and Territory of Australia it is a legal requirement that any person using the title Architect, or offering services to the public as an Architect, must be registered with the architect registration Board in that jurisdiction. Architect legislation has been enacted to protect consumers and the public. Only people whose names appear on a state and territory architect registration Board register can use the title ‘Architect’ in that jurisdiction. Therefore, it is illegal for people to use the title ‘Architect’ or offer architectural services if they are not on a register of architects in the State or Territory in which they are practicing. Non-compliance with this requirement in the legislation is seen by the Board as a serious matter, and acting against all reasonable efforts to protect consumers and the public, by ensuring that individuals claiming to be architects have the qualifications and experience required by the legislation.

During 2017-18 the Board received 2 complaints.

National Engagement

In October 2017 the Registrar and Board Chair attended the AACA annual forum and Annual General Meeting in Hobart. This meeting was attended by the Registrars and Board chairs from all other Australian jurisdictions. The meeting provided an opportunity for Registrars and Board Chairs to share information about what was happening in each of the jurisdictions and to look at ways to work together in the progression of architecture across Australia.

Architects Registrations

Table 1: Registrations from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018

Internal Accountability

Membership of the Board

Section 70 of the Act stipulates that the Board consists of the following members:

• 1 member nominated in writing by a representative body;
• 1 member who is, or has recently been, an academic architect;
• 1 member who is registered;
• 1 member who is a commercial lawyer; and
• 1 member to represent community interests who is not registered.

The Minister must appoint the board members and an appointment must be for a term of no longer than 3 years.

Table 2: Membership of the Board as appointed by the Ministers at 30 June 2018

Board Meetings

The ACT Architects Board is required to meet at least four times a year.

During 2017-18 the Board met on the following occasions:

• 17 August 2017, 9 October 2017, 19 December 2017, 20 February 2018, 20 March 2018;
• 1 May 2018;
• 6 June 2018; and
• 19 June 2018.

Table 3: Board Members’ attendance

Remuneration

In accordance with the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1995, the remuneration rate for the Chair of the ACT Architects Board is $525 (per diem) and for a Member of the Board is $450 (per diem).

Further information can be obtained from

Mr Ben Green
Registrar ACT Architects Board
+61 2 6207 7387
architectsboard@act.gov.au