Victoria’s Architects Registration Board (VARB) has vowed to fight plans for it to be absorbed by a new Building Authority, as put forward by Victorian Planning Minister Matthew Guy last week.

The new system would see the functions of the Building Commission, Plumbing Industry Commission and the VARB absorbed into the proposed new Authority, which will provide a single point of governance for builders, plumbers and architects.

David Sainsbery, Chairperson of the VARB was shocked at the decision which he found out about on Thursday last week after receiving no consultation or warning.

He said: "I was surprised, flabbergasted and I suppose annoyed that this was being proposed without consultation. I guess at that point we didn't know whether anyone had been consulted but we quickly established the Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Registration Board and also AACA (Architects Accreditation Council of Australia) on the national level, that no one had been consulted."

Guy said that the current system in each industry risks damaging consumer confidence.

"The current system does not promote consistent service capability and dents consumer confidence and respect for the industry. The building industry and those who work in it are important to Victoria's economic health - which makes these reforms critical."

The Australian Financial Review (AFR) reported that a review of the 2011-12 annual report stated:

“The Architects Registration Board of Victoria has prepared its financial statements on an ongoing concern basis. However, as at 30 June 2011, the board reported a net result deficit of $168,879 and net liabilities of $49,983 which indicates the existence of a material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt on the board’s ability to continue as a going concern.”

Sainsbery was unaware of how or why the decision was reached but believed the government architect was the only person consulted.

"All we believe is that at some point someone asked the government architect to briefly summarise some of the activities of the board but I don't believe that was an in-depth conversation at all and it certainly wasn't a consultation so apart from that no one else seems to know anything about it."

Sainsbery also raised concerns over a conflict of interests between builders and architects which could arise if the VARB is dissolved into the new Building Authority.

"We collaborate on things but there is also a need for independence. Architects are regularly administering contracts on behalf of their clients and must show independence on behalf of those clients from the builder so there are some potential clashes there."

Sainsbery said that given the amount of academic study which architects undergo, plumbing and architecture should not be governed by the one authority and he also raised concerns that under the new system architecture would be represented by one person compared with the ten who currently sit on the Board.

Sainsbery said that he has been in close contact with the Australian Institute of Architects who have expressed their anger at the surprise announcement.
"Everyone is annoyed about it and up in arms and saying what can we do to stop it?"

I haven't heard anyone who believes that there are any potential advantages here and that’s because there has been no definitive statement as to how it would work anyway."

If you wish to have your views noted by the VARB, please email [email protected]