To give Canberrans confidence that the engineers they engage have the necessary qualifications and experience to provide professional engineering services, the ACT Government will establish a mandatory registration scheme for engineers.
The Professional Engineers Bill 2022, which will be introduced in the ACT Legislative Assembly today, will bring the ACT into line with other Australian states and territories that have introduced or are introducing similar engineer registration schemes.
The registration scheme will be administered by a professional engineering registrar who will be an ACT public servant within Access Canberra. The registrar will:
• determine applications for registration and renewal and issue certificates of registration;
• monitor compliance with the legislation;
• investigate and prosecute alleged contraventions of the legislation;
• refer registered professional engineers to ACAT for regulatory action;
• respond to complaints made about registered professional engineers; and
• keep and maintain a public register of professional engineers.
“It is vital that everyone involved in significant construction works are suitably qualified, and that the community has confidence that such large works meet safety and building quality standards,” Rebecca Vassarotti, ACT Minister for Sustainable Building and Construction, said.
“Initially, the scheme will only apply to five areas of engineering, but may later be expanded. The areas proposed in the current scheme are civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and fire safety engineering.
“I acknowledge the key role that industry and professional engineer associations have played in getting the Bill to this stage and look forward to continuing to work closely with them on implementation of the scheme.”
The scheme is expected to commence in late 2023.
This initiative progresses a commitment of the Parliamentary Agreement of the 10th Legislative Assembly by the ACT Labor-Greens Government.
