ACT Architects Board

Transmittal Certificate

Compliance Statement

The 2018-19 ACT Architects Board Annual Report must comply with the Annual Reports (Government Agencies) Directions 2019 (the Directions) made under section 8 of the Annual Reports (Government Agencies) Act 2004. The Directions are found at the ACT Legislation Register: https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/View/ni/2019-296/current/PDF/2019-296.PDF

The Compliance Statement indicates the subsections, under Parts 1 to 6 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 2018-19 ACT Architects Board Annual Report complies with all subsections of Part 1 under the Directions.

To meet Section 15 Feedback, Part 1 of the Directions, contact details for the ACT Architects Board are provided within the 2018-19 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 reporting entities and the 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:

• A. Transmittal Certificate, see page 293;
• B. Organisational Overview and Performance Analysis subsections, see pages 295-298. All other subsections in Section B, Part 2 of the Directions are contained within the CMTEDD Annual report; and
• C. 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 2018-19 reporting year.

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 reporting entities as follows:

• L. The 2018-19 Justice and Community Safety Annual Report includes the following subsections:
  • L.1 Bushfire Risk Management;
  • L.2 Human Rights;
  • L.3 Legal Services Directions;
• M. The 2018-19 CMTEDD Annual Report includes the annexed 2018-19 Director of Territory Records Annual Report (see page 345); and
• Public Sector Standards and Workforce Profile, see the 2018-19 ACT Public Service State of the Service Report.

ACT Public Service directorate annual reports are found at the following web address: http://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 architectural regulation, 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 architectural regulation; 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 Nominated Bodies of the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA). The AACA was established by the Boards to ensure the national consistency in the pathway 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 architectural regulation for the purpose of migration to Australia under the Australian Government’s Skilled Migration program.

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 the 2018-19 the Board received four complaints.

The complaints received by the Board were in relation to individuals and organisations offering architectural services without a registered nominee and advertising without details. The Board wrote to each requesting the need to take necessary action to remove all public advertising.

National Engagement

In October 2018 the Registrar and Board Chair attended the AACA annual forum and Annual General Meeting in Brisbane. 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 architectural regulation across Australia.

Architects Registrations

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;
• 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.

Board Meetings

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

During 2018-19 the Board met on the following occasions:

• 14 August 2018;
• 30 October 2018;
• 18 December 2018;
• 5 March 2019;
• 30 April 2019; and
• 18 June 2019.

Remuneration

In accordance with the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1995, the remuneration rate for the chair of the ACT Architects Board is $540 (per diem) and for a Member of the Board is $465 (per diem).

Further information can be obtained from

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