Federal Election 2022

A TIME FOR ACTION

The Institute’s 2022 Federal Election Policy Statement is a call to the next Australian Parliament to take action on issues that are critical for Australia’s future. The decisions made in the next few years will impact on generations to come. The Institute looks forward to working closely with the next Australian Government and offers its advice and support to help achieve the best outcomes for Australia.

Below is the 2022 Federal Election Policy Statement developed by our Policy and Advocacy team which identifies key findings from a recent survey sent to members earlier this year. This document summarises what issues members (who participated) felt were most important and highlights the six priorities the Institute will put forward to the next Australian Government.

Australian Institute of Architects

2022 Federal Election Policy Statement

Read the complete document to see the findings from our Policy and Advocacy team.

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Member Research

INSTITUTE MEMBERS SPEAK OUT ON THE KEY ISSUES TO SECURE AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

We thank those of our members who participated in our Federal election survey open from December 2021 until end of January 2022. The survey showed that:

The greatest concern for more than half of members (55%) about the current federal government is the lack of action on key issues.

The two most critical issues for the Architecture profession are:

Transitioning to a net zero emissions future – rated as “Absolutely critical” by 72% of members
Housing affordability – rated as “Absolutely critical” by 62% of members.

Detailed findings

2022 Federal Election Members’ survey

Read the complete document to see the findings from our Policy and Advocacy team.

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Built-Environment Priorities

Six priorities for the next Australian Government

Each week leading up to the elections, we will disseminate communications that break down each of the six priorities (as listed below) to communicate our concerns and position for the built-environment. We hope this helps you understand what we seek to achieve with the next Australian government and why these issues are imperative to voice on behalf of the industry and profession.

1. Address inaction on Climate Change

The Institute calls for the next Australian Government to:

Immediately implement a national climate and energy plan to support international efforts to maintain global temperatures at 1.5o C above pre-industrial levels.
Turbo charge private-sector leadership and investment through expanded support for ARENA, the Clean Energy Finance Corp and Universities.
Support the construction industry to become carbon neutral by 2030 through investment in, and expansion of, the Trajectory for Low Carbon Buildings and increased stringency in the National Construction Code.
Rapidly develop and implement a nationwide resilience strategy based on leading scientific climate projections.

Learn more by reading the media release on this topic

2. Fix the supply of affordable and social housing

The Institute calls for the next Australian Government to establish a bi-partisan National Housing Strategy that will:

Appoint a Minister for Housing to recognise this as an ongoing core government priority.
Recognise ‘adequate housing’ as a basic human right and establish a legislative framework to support this recognition.
Centralise and publish data on all housing supply and consequently, set minimum targets for supply for social and affordable housing, including the eradication of waitlists.
Establish a national minimum standard for the implementation of inclusionary zoning in collaboration with State governments and provide incentives for State governments to implement that standard.
Set appropriate standards to elevate housing quality, particularly in remote and regional areas, ensuring housing is fit for purpose, accessible and responsive to community and resident needs. This includes long-term maintenance programs.
Significantly increase funding for co-designed new social housing residences for First Nations peoples to address the chronic underfunding and undersupply of housing for Australia’s indigenous peoples.
Ensure that due diligence is undertaken to ensure the protection of cultural materials and sacred sites when opening up greenfield sites for development.
Address the supply of social housing as a long-term commitment rather than short term or one-off initiatives.

read the media release on this topic

Learn more by reading the detailed piece on this priority

3. Become a leader for national design initiatives

The Institute calls for the next Australian Government to fund $14 million over the next four years to establish an Australian Government Architect’s office that will:

advise the Australian Government and statutory agencies on best ways to achieve great designs and outcomes from government owned or government funded buildings
provide leadership and cultural advice to government on connecting with Country to inform the planning design and delivery of built environment projects for all government owned or funded projects.

read the media release on this topic

Learn more by reading the detailed piece on this priority

4. Build confidence in and for the Australian design and construction industry

The Institute calls for the next Australian Government to:

Deliver a major national construction supply chain strategy to increase Australia’s manufacturing capability for high quality sustainable building materials, components and fittings. It must support programs that will:

decarbonise materials such as concrete, steel and aluminium
develop and manufacture sustainable products in Australia that enable the construction of durable and high energy performance buildings when combined with effective design solutions
position Australia to reduce reliance on overseas sourced materials
establish supply chain controls on any imported products or manufacturing inputs through national and state harmonised supply chain legislation, including requirements for testing and compulsory product certification and controls on substitution
implement measures to address global problems of modern slavery, child labour, displacement of communities and perpetuation of structural drivers of poverty and inequality.

Elevate Building Ministers’ meetings of the National Cabinet to regular, ongoing meetings in order to:

track progress on the implementation of the recommendations of Building Confidence Report
advise on the recommended national construction supply chain strategy
review construction sector contract terms, and insurances which are creating risk exposure that will drive practitioners out of the sector.

read the media release on this topic

Learn more by reading the detailed piece on this priority

5. Address gender diversity and inequality in Australia’s Construction Industry

The Institute calls for the next Australian Government to:

Fully fund and implement all recommendations of the Jenkins Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report 2020
Re-introduce gender responsive budgeting
Increase efforts to close the gender pay gap
Pay superannuation on government paid parental leave
Introduce a Building and Design Equality Policy with clear reportable targets and strategies on the attraction, recruitment and retainment of women in the sector.

read the media release on this topic

Learn more by reading the detailed piece on this priority

6. Introduce greater integrity in government decision making

The Institute calls for the next Australian Government to:

Establish a federal anti-corruption watchdog in the first year of the 47th Parliament.
Restore a transparent merits-based assessment process for all government grants – without ministerial interference.
Rebuild capacity in the public service and ensure it fulfils its role as an apolitical body.

MAJOR PARTY POLICIES MAPPED TO THE INSTITUTE'S SIX PRIORITIES

We have released our Report Card of the three major parties’ policies mapped against the Institute’s six key priorities and thirty-three recommendations. It includes a quick ‘traffic light’ overview, high level comparison of the policies and an appendix of each partys’ policies details.

Comparison of Party Policies

2022 Federal Election Report Card

Read the complete document (including Appendix 1) to see the findings from our Policy and Advocacy team.

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