Engineers Australia calls for gold-standard engineer registration

Engineers Australia is urging the Victorian Government to seize its three‑year review of the Professional Engineers Registration Act (PERA) as a chance to strengthen public safety, cut red tape and futureproof the engineering workforce.

Engineers Australia has lodged a comprehensive submission to the review that lays out critical reforms to turn Victoria’s registration scheme into a gold‑standard model. These include:

1. National consistency and automatic mutual recognition (AMR): Enable engineers to register once, practice anywhere.
2. Clearer definitions and guidance: The current terms ‘professional engineering service’, ‘direct supervision’, and ‘prescriptive standards’ create uncertainty.
3. Stronger assessment standards: Require Washington Accord‑aligned qualifications, with any equivalency assessed by Engineers Australia as the signatory to the Washington Accord.
4. An independent board of professional engineers: A dedicated, sector‑specific board, modelled on Queensland’s proven approach, would strengthen oversight, uphold community trust and bring expert decision‑making to the forefront.
5. Expanded and futureproofed registration: Victoria’s framework must capture all engineering disciplines, including emerging and cross‑disciplinary fields.

Engineers Australia Chief Engineer Katherine Richards said the review is a once‑in‑a‑decade chance to get it right.

“Engineering touches every Victorian, every day. From the bridges we cross to the hospitals we rely on, to the renewable energy projects powering our homes: public safety depends on competent, accountable engineers,” she said. “By cutting regulatory duplication, harmonising standards across states and locking in internationally recognised qualifications, Victoria can build a safer, smarter engineering profession.

“These reforms will accelerate major projects, reduce skills bottlenecks and give Victorians confidence that their infrastructure and energy sectors are in the best hands.”

Engineers Australia emphasised that Victoria is well‑placed to set the national benchmark. Aligning with Queensland’s independent Board of Professional Engineers and embracing AMR will make the system simpler for industry and safer for the public.

“Without clear definitions and strong governance, compliance can be patchy, and the public is exposed to unnecessary risk,” Richards said. “By adopting a dedicated board, Victoria can become the model that other states follow.”

The submission also highlights that a futureproofed scheme will better support Australia’s transition to renewable energy, transport modernisation and housing growth, as new and hybrid disciplines emerge in response to complex projects.

Engineers Australia is now calling on the Victorian Government to:

• adopt all recommended reforms to strengthen safety, consistency and accountability;
• work collaboratively with industry to implement the changes with minimal disruption to project delivery; and
• champion Victoria as the leader in national engineering standards.
   

“Victoria can create a legacy of safety, professionalism and innovation,” Richards said. “It’s about protecting lives, enabling growth and giving engineers the clear, consistent framework they need to maintain the levels of excellence our communities expect and deserve.”

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