Engineers Australia has welcomed the appointment of David Chandler as its inaugural NSW building commissioner.
Engineers Australia CEO Peter McIntyre said only urgent action will restore confidence in the building and construction area. He said the announcement is a positive sign the NSW Government is serious about reform.
The body has expressed concern that confidence in the sector has fallen due to there being no mandatory registration for engineers and is hopeful the building commissioner can help to reform this.
“The NSW Building Commissioner is an important role and we hope that Mr. Chandler will be given the support and resources he needs to implement the recommendations from the Shergold-Weir report, including the compulsory registration of engineers.”
A national poll commissioned by Engineers Australia in July 2019 showed 88 per cent of respondents agree engineers should have to be registered. In New South Wales that figure jumped to 91 per cent.
Engineers Australia has made a submission to the NSW Government in its response to its discussion paper, Building Stronger Foundations.
The paper outlines proposals for implementing recommendations made in the Building Ministers Forum report including options for introducing a registration scheme for engineers.
“If the NSW Government legislates for a broad-based statutory register for engineers, it will have the support of city and rural voters, those on high and low incomes, men and women, and people of all age groups,” Mr. McIntyre said.
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