Over the past fortnight, as President of the NSW Chapter I have focused on three key priorities: housing, support for regional members, and deepening engagement with student members.
Our Executive Director, Lisa King and I attended a briefing by the newly established NSW Government Housing Taskforce. This initiative aims to streamline development approvals and fast-track housing delivery by coordinating 14 state agencies, including Sydney Water, Transport for NSW, and the NSW Building Commission.
The discussion was wide-ranging — from challenges with the planning portal to opportunities for concurrent agency review. As lead consultants, architects are uniquely positioned to identify roadblocks in the approval process. If you have encountered delays or inefficiencies with agency referrals, we would welcome your insights.
We also travelled to Wollongong last week for a Regional Chat hosted at Edmiston Jones. These gatherings provide an excellent platform for regional members to connect informally and share practice experiences. Lisa Papesch (Papesch Architecture) and Margie Rahmann (Edmiston Jones) shared compelling examples of designing with empathy — showcasing thoughtful projects for communities in need.
The NSW Regional Committee recently welcomed two new members from Northern NSW. They’ve developed a new visual map illustrating committee representation across the state. One area still without a representative is the Bathurst region — if you are based there and would like to be involved, we’d love to hear from you.
To close out the week, NSW Chapter Vice President Kirby Rees and I participated in EMBARK, a University of Sydney careers forum. Engaging with students — both current and prospective members — is a priority. It is our emerging professionals who will shape the future of the profession and help ensure the Institute remains relevant and forward-thinking.
To continue with thoughts from our committed Chapter Councillers and Committee Chairs, we hear from Vince Pirrello, Chair of Practice Committee and also Vice President – Pacific – CAA Commonwealth Association of Architects.
Chapter Councillors – Walter Brindle, Simon Rochowski, Carolyn Mitchell and James Fitzpatrick are also part of this very active committee.
– Elizabeth Carpenter, NSW CHAPTER PRESIDENT
The RAIA NSW Practice of Architecture Committee champions the value of architecture through advocacy, communication, and member support. It promotes ethical, sustainable, and responsible practice by equipping Institute members with tools and resources addressing key issues such as contracts, procurement, employment, and professional conduct. Over the last 12 months the Committee has grown with representation from EmAGN, the SML Practice Forums, the Gender Equity Taskforce, the Regional Committee, and SONA. Through collaboration with the Institute, it shares knowledge and supports practices of all scales across NSW.
Recently, the Practice Committee has focused on several key initiatives: coordinating the digitisation of the ABIC contract; developing a series exploring experiences of professional practice; and working with EmAGN and SONA to address challenges faced by graduates and practices in securing suitable employment. It is also advancing exchange and mentoring programs between practices of different scales, while exploring new ways for the Institute to engage with members, professional bodies, and academic institutions on issues impacting practice. These efforts aim to expand access to relevant resources and strengthen the profession as a whole.