Skip to content
Search
Close this search box.
  • Join
  • Login
  • Join
  • Login
  • Online store
  • Explore Architecture
    • Find an architect
    • Working with an architect
    • Education & Standards
    • Living Architecture
    • Reading Architecture
    • Pathways to architecture
    • Archi Ed
    • Hearing Architecture podcast
    • Notable buildings
    • Venice Biennale
    • Open House Hobart
  • What’s On
    • Country Culture Community
    • FUTURE SHOCK: Designing City Resilience
    • Open House Hobart
    • Venice Biennale
    • All Events
  • Advocacy & News
    • Community Forum
    • Policy & Advocacy
    • Submission Library
    • Media Releases
    • News
    • NSW Design & Building Practitioners Act and Regulations
    • Sustainability and climate action
    • First Nations
    • Diversity & Equity
  • Awards, Prizes & Tours
    • 2023 National Architecture Awards Winners Gallery
    • Awards Program
    • Prizes
    • 2024 Dulux Study Tour
    • National and Chapter Architecture Awards Program
    • 2023 Gold Medal Tour
    • 2023 Smeg Tour
  • Membership
    • Renew
    • Overview
    • Architect
    • Graduate
    • Associate
    • Student
    • Allied Professional
    • Practice (A+)
    • Member rewards
  • Preparing to register
  • CPD, Education & Resources
    • Overview
    • Wellbeing for architects
    • Purchase On Demand CPD
    • Face-to-Face CPD
    • Refuel CPD Courses
    • Practice Resources
    • National Mentoring Program
    • Showcase
    • Become a CPD Provider
  • Chapters
    • ACT
    • International
    • NSW
    • NT
    • QLD
    • SA
    • TAS
    • VIC
    • WA
  • EmAGN
    • About
    • Emerging Architect Prize
    • EmAGN Project Award
    • EmAGN Representatives
    • EmAGN Online Resources
    • Living Village Design Competition
  • SONA
    • Join
    • Beyond Uni
    • Advocacy
    • About
    • de-PICT
    • Member Benefits
    • Upscale
    • Super Studio 2023
    • Representatives
    • Representative Application
    • Study
    • Contact SONA
  • About Us
    • 2023 Annual General Elections – NOMINATIONS OPEN NOW
    • About the Institute
    • Board of Directors
    • National Council & Committees
    • Chapter Councils & Committees
    • Our Staff
    • Annual Reports
    • Work with Us
    • Contact Us
  • Partnerships
    • Corporate Partners
    • Supporting Partners
    • Partnership & Advertising Opportunities
  • 3 August 2021

Victorian Policy & Advocacy Update

The latest Victorian advocacy and policy updating including the COVID-19 restrictions update and more.

EXITING VICTORIA’S JULY 2021 COVID-19 OUTBREAK LOCKDOWN No. 5.

With Victoria’s exit at 11:59pm last Tuesday July 27 from its fifth Covid-19 pandemic lockdown:

  • All indoor and outdoor construction and renovation work can resume at occupied and unoccupied premises and Authorised Providers and Authorised Workers lists are no longer applicable.
  • If you can work or study from home, you should continue to do so. If you can’t work from home or another suitable premise, you can go to work.
  • Office-based work is capped at 25 per cent or a maximum of 10 people, whichever is greater. A density quotient of one person per four square metres applies in shared spaces and publicly accessible areas.
  • Workers must wear a face mask indoors and outdoors at all times, unless they have a lawful reason not to wear one.

Members who lease the premises where their studios or practices are located may be interested to hear that the Victorian Government has announced the reintroduction of the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme. Eligibility includes businesses with an annual turnover of less than $50 million and a decline in turnover of at least 30 per cent due to coronavirus. Legislation will shortly be introduced to enact the scheme which will be active from today. Under the scheme:

  • Landlords will be required to provide proportional rent relief in line with a business’s reduction in turnover.
  • Tenants and landlords will be encouraged to enter negotiations directly, with the Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC) available to provide mediation if parties cannot reach satisfactory agreement. Landlords will not be able to lock out or evict tenants without a determination from the VSBC.
  • An $80 million hardship fund is to be established for landlords who provide rent relief to eligible tenants (further details to be confirmed).

Tenants and landlords can contact the Victorian Small Business Commission for further information on 13 87 22 or visit vsbc.vic.gov.au.

A new jointly announced $400m funding package from the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments will give Victorian small and medium businesses  extra support as Victoria exits lockdown. It targets not only businesses such as gyms, cafes, restaurants, catering services and hairdressers who have been ordered to close during lockdowns, but also includes a new $85 million Small Business COVID Hardship Fund for small businesses who have not been eligible under existing business support funds.. Small businesses with a payroll of up to $10 million who have experienced a 70 per cent or greater reduction in revenue will be eligible for grants of up to $5,000. The Institute will provide further information as details become available.

CONSULTATION ON VICTORIAN GAS SUBSTITUTION ROADMAP

A three-and-a-half-page submission in letter format was prepared by the Manager, Policy and Advocacy with the collaboration/ input of the Sustainable Architecture Forum and the State Manager. Key messages of the submission included:

  • Focus on electrification program for space heating and hot water heating through a re-focussing of the Victorian Energy Upgrades program which is still subsidising the purchase of new gas appliances.
  • Recognising the ongoing need for gas for certain applications – ensuring that the transition to hydrogen is to green/ renewable hydrogen (manufactured by electrolysis from renewable electricity) avoiding hydrogen derived from fossil-based carbon sources with associated carbon-capture technologies and avoiding bio-methane which is both a greenhouse gas of itself as well as producing CO2 as a combustion bi-product.

The submission can be downloaded here.

CONSULTATION ON VICTORIA’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION ACTION PLAN

The Victorian Chapter is responding to the survey on Engage Victoria to this whole of government consultation. The component on Built Environment Adaptation Action Plans is being led by DELWP. In addition, an online consultation meeting was conducted by DELWP of the Victorian Chapter’s Sustainable Architecture Forum, the Victorian Chapter President and State Manager Tuesday July 27th . Some of discussion points included:

  • Designing new settlements with place responsive designs –  attractive places that incorporate climate change resilience and resolve other planning provisions (e.g. built to withstand flood while still having good street activation)
  • DELWP wish to build skills for new and emerging designers
  • Adapting heritage buildings to protect and preserve while maintaining their heritage attributes
  • Input from indigenous designers
  • Need for good case examples (not necessarily award winning projects) of the above.

If members wish to complete the survey on the Built Environment Adaptation Action Plan as individuals or on behalf of their practice, they can do so on the Engage Victoria website.

BETTER APARTMENT DESIGN STANDARDS (BADS) CONVERSATION VIDEO

Members who missed seeing or wish to re-view the online presentation and discussion held on May 28 about how to design higher density suburban housing that meets the updated 2021 Better Apartments Design Standards can do so on the Institute’s YouTube Channel.

The topics and expert presenters included:

  • How do we make our streets less windy? (Dr Michael Eaddy – Director, MEL Consultants)
  • How do we create welcoming buildings? (James Legge – Director, Six Degrees Architects)
  • How to create a landscape setting (Simone Bliss – Director, SBLA Studio)
Instagram Youtube Linkedin-in Facebook-f Tiktok Pinterest
Chapters
  • ACT
  • International
  • NSW
  • NT
  • Queensland
  • SA
  • Tasmania
  • Victoria
  • WA
ARCHITECTURE.COM.AU
  • What’s On
  • Policy & Advocacy
  • Membership
  • Awards
  • CPD
  • About Us
  • SONA
The Institute
  • Join
  • Online Store
  • Member Portal
  • Partnership & Advertising Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • Media Releases
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.

We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.

We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.

Read our Statement of Support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart and Constitutional Recognition and the Voice to Parliament.

© Australian Institute of Architects

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT

This form is now closed.