Policy and advocacy

Publicly advocating for engineers for over 100 years.

Engineers Australia is the engineering profession’s peak body. As the voice of the profession, an integral part of our role is to publicly advocate on issues that affect the profession and the broader community. We undertake this important work through a structured policy and advocacy program.

Our work

Engineers are enthusiastic contributors to public discussions about policy and issues affecting society. Our work addresses building sector reform, climate change, STEM and diversity, professional indemnity insurance and other issues important to the profession.

We engage with both member and non-member engineers as well as representatives from business, education, government and other experts around Australia. With their input we develop and advance rigorous, evidence-driven policy that reflects the highest professional standards.

 

Papers, reports and research

Visit our publication library to read our latest discussion papers, policy reports and research.

 

Our approach

Our External Voice Project is a flagship policy and advocacy strategy that promotes a structured approach to policy development. It supports wide-ranging consultation on important issues to ensure our position reflects the insights and concerns of the profession and of the wider community.

We undertake our advocacy in several ways including submissions to parliamentary inquiries, government policy reviews, media messaging, social media platforms and public campaigns.

Since 2016, we have made more than 140 submissions to government on topics including:

  • building sector reform
  • the role of nuclear power in Australia
  • employment outcomes for migrant engineers
  • national water reform
  • regulation of medical gases and much more.

 

Our submissions

Read our latest submissions to government.

 

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[email protected]

Get involved

Contributions from our members help shape our work and strengthen the profession’s reputation for impact in public policy.

We encourage members to have a say about issues that are important to the profession. If you have an initiative you’d like to propose, view our guide to member-delivered policy and advocacy and toolkit

Open consultations and advocacy initiatives are listed below. 

If you have any questions about our policy and advocacy work, you can email us or call us on 1300 653 113.

  • (NSW) Engineering Practice Standard
  • (Cth) Power system reliability and risk management
  • (NSW) Engagement on insurance issues for engineers
  • (Cth) Future of transport direction paper
  • (Cth) Annual Rainfall and Runoff Guideline – climate change chapter review
  • (Cth) Building Product Assurance Framework
  • (NSW) Licensing Proposals
  • (NSW) Decennial Liability Insurance
  • (WA) Valuing externalities – Sustainable Engineering Society
  • (SA) Registration of engineers
  • (SA) Getting STEM into schools – setting up industry reference group with support from Department for Education
  • (SA) STEM – meetings with University of Adelaide STEM Academy, Inspired SA
  • (SA) Overseas qualified engineers – ongoing work following event attended by Minister for Multicultural Affairs, support from DPC, DIS, Committee for Adelaide
  • (SA) SA Planning and Design Code 2021 – amendments to special provisions
  • (NT) Review of Secondary Education in the Northern Territory – submission
  • (NT) Advocating for wording change to S40 construction declaration (certifying engineer liability and insurance ramifications)
  • (NT) Accreditation requirements for subdivision compliance auditors
  • (NT) Water security in the territory – response to Territory Water Plan and ongoing participation with a working group
  • (NT) Energy security in the territory – ongoing participation with a working group
  • (NT) Overseas qualified engineers – Global Engineering Talent (GET) program with Northern Territory Government funding grant

Submissions

Visit our publication library to read our latest discussion papers, policy reports and research.

White papers

Visit our publication library to read our latest discussion papers, policy reports and research.

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Engineers Australia | October 2021

2021 Targeted Update of ANZSCO Proposed Changes

Engineers Australia appreciates the opportunity to provide feedback to the Australian Bureau of Statistics on the targeted update of ANZSCO proposed changes. This letter has been developed to assist the ABS with the update by providing comments specific to the areas being reviewed relevant to the engineering profession. 

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Engineers Australia | May 2022

2022-23 ACT Budget submission

Engineers Australia puts forward a table of recommendations to the ACT Government ahead of the release of its 2022-23 Budget.

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Engineers Australia | April 2023

2023–2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy

Securing Australian cyber space and building a robust and resilient cyber ecosystem will require a comprehensive, agile, and inclusive strategy. Engineers Australia’s submission offers the view of its expert members on what the Government could do to achieve the goal of securing our nation’s cyber ecosystem and shift the dial to move cyber security front of mind. 

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Engineers Australia | November 2019

30 Year Infrastructure Strategy

Feedback on Infrastructure Tasmania’s 30-Year Infrastructure Plan (Consultative Draft) from Engineers Australia on behalf of our Tasmanian members and associated stakeholders.

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Engineers Australia | October 2016

A Statutory Registration Scheme for Victorian Engineers

Engineers Australia would like to thank the Victorian Government for their leadership in advancing registration of engineers in Australia. Engineering is one of the few professions in Australia without a national approach to registration to ensure the qualifications and experience of all practitioners, both national and international, is at the appropriate level for the engineering service delivered.