For well over a decade Engineers Australia has been a strong advocate for the engineering profession influencing decision-makers at the highest level. We have seen the creation of Infrastructure Victoria, the Office of Projects Victoria, the recent announcement of a Victorian Major Projects Leadership Academy, and the introduction of Victoria’s first Chief Engineer. Just last week, Engineers Australia supported the Chief Engineer’s production and release of the Victorian “State of Engineering” report.

These initiatives support the planning and delivery of major infrastructure projects in the state and enhance the skills of project deliverers now and into the future.

Engineers Australia advocates for the importance of engineers and engineering matters to government, and builds recognition for the profession. We do this on behalf of and with the support of our members based on feedback we receive through consultation and the many conversations on the issues of importance to our members.

Infrastructure planning is of great importance to our members, the profession and the community at large. We support a strategic approach to infrastructure planning with a long term focus, ideally no less than 15 years, and transcending political cycles. Politics should not drive infrastructure decisions. Infrastructure priorities should be determined by an independent planning body, such as Infrastructure Victoria and be based on robust business cases for well scoped, technically sound, independently reviewed projects. We encourage bipartisan support of projects with long delivery timeframes.

We call for governments to reduce project intermittency to drive down project costs, reduce uncertainty and inefficiency and build workforce capability. A smooth pipeline of projects allows industry to manage the capability and skills of the profession, not only of the engineers but of all the skilled professionals and tradespeople involved. Strong project delivery capability requires ongoing employment opportunities well into the future. Boom bust delivery cycles result in established capability being lost to other industries, states and countries.

Engineers Australia supports a Registration Scheme for engineers to ensure a highly skilled engineering workforce and to ensure that the public and government can be confident that an engineer has the qualifications and experience to practice. Registration is a critical element to building and maintaining engineering capability in Victoria and to ensuring we have the skills to deliver the pipeline of projects currently projected.

In the lead up to the Victorian State election we will continue to advocate for the profession and our members.