Call for consistency

AIRAH updates and events Industry updates

August 26, 2025

Nick Johns-Wickberg

Professional registration schemes have been rolling out across the country, but the regime in New South Wales remains something of an outlier. AIRAH and other industry bodies are now pushing for alignment with other jurisdictions. 

Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT all have regimes in place for professional registration of engineers – and all are slightly different. After the high-profile problems with developments such as Sydney’s Opal Tower, it’s perhaps no surprise that the New South Wales scheme focuses on high-rise residential buildings. 

Under the Design and Building Practitioners Act (DBP Act), engineers in NSW only need to be registered if they work on class 2, 3, or 9b buildings, or a building that includes a class 2, 3, or 9c part. In other states, registration covers not only all building types, but engineering work not done on buildings. These discrepancies complicate registration across borders. 

Getting in on the Act 

The DBP Act is currently under review, and in August, AIRAH was invited to give evidence to the Public Accountability and Works Committee. The invitation is the result of AIRAH’s ongoing engagement with government consultations on professional registration for engineers. 

Since the beginning of the scheme, AIRAH has highlighted a few key issues. 

As noted above, registration does not cover all classes of building, creating a situation where some firms are not working on residential developments, choosing instead to focus on commercial buildings.  

As in other jurisdictions, AIRAH has highlighted the need for genuine alternative pathways for engineers who obtained their qualifications before Washington Accord degrees were the norm. Through its APER program, AIRAH has developed an alternative pathway assessment for the ACT, and is offering to roll the assessment out to other jurisdictions. 

Clarification is also required on whether some work, such as refrigeration, is considered professional engineering work or not. 

Better together 

Earlier this year, Engineers Australia convened a roundtable at NSW Parliament, bringing together ministers, shadow ministers and MPs from all parties and independents to hear from leading industry and business representatives advocating for a nationally consistent engineering registration scheme in New South Wales. 

Engineers Australia CEO Romilly Madew AO emphasised the urgency of reform. 

“This regulatory misalignment acts as a barrier for individuals and employers and puts a break on the New South Wales economy.” 

“While we know most engineers provide their services competently, ethically and with diligence, in the absence of registration for engineering, the risk remains that simply anyone can claim to be an engineer on any project or work site (outside buildings) in NSW.” 

The HVAC&R perspective 

AIRAH CEO Sami Zheng, Affil.AIRAH agrees that Australia’s registration regimes should be harmonised. 

“Through the AIRAH Professional Engineer Register (APER) program, we are supporting professional registration schemes as an approved assessment entity, and we have seen first-hand the challenges posed by the differences across schemes. 

“We fully support the calls to align the New South Wales system with regimes in other states.” 

This article appears in Ecolibrium’s Spring 2025 edition

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