MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday 5 October 2010
Milestone report spotlights opportunities
and challenges for the services sector
The Australian Institute of Architects welcomes a milestone report
released today by the Australian Services Roundtable on the value
of services business for Australian wealth and the economy.
The report, New Economic Challenge – Responding to the Rise of Services
in the Australian Economy, was launched by the Minister for Trade, the Hon Dr
Craig Emerson, MP. The Institute welcomes the report for its emphasis on the
significant opportunities to address growth potential in the services sector.
The report scopes a road map for the services sector and concludes that:
Data gaps are an impediment to good policy, industry investment and
skills development;
Increased productivity in the services sector is essential given it now
represents 80 per cent of the Australian economy;
Innovation is identified as a key driver for productivity growth within the
sector;
Regulatory reform through the removal of barriers to business activity
both on shore and off shore is imperative to maintain and improve
Australia’s competitiveness.
“The main themes of the report are the importance of services productivity and
innovation,” Institute CEO David Parken said.
The Institute has identified a number of important areas for regulatory reform
and innovation within the built environment. The current project delivery
arrangements used result in significant wasted effort, which if removed could
generate greater efficiencies and productivity in a sector whose combined
construction activity exceeds $100billion per annum (Source: Australian ©onstruction
Industry Forum).
Embracing new technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and
challenging current ways of working through integrated practice and project
methodologies will provide for more productive and effective outcomes for the
design and construction of the built environment. Globally, this is a fast-growing
market, and Australian architects have shown that they have the necessary skills
to take advantage of the international opportunities on offer.
2
“The Institute continues to seek planning reform that will simplify development
approval processes and encourage state and territory governments to adopt the
Development Assessment Forum's (DAF) leading practice model for development
assessment in Australia,” Mr Parken said.
Further, the Institute is supportive of the free movement of registered
architects internationally, and is a signatory to the Canberra Accord which aims to
facilitate the international mobility of architecture students and graduates of the
signatory countries to the Accord.
“We also encourage steps within Australia and overseas to allow the mutual
recognition of registered architects globally,” he said.
The architectural profession is at the forefront of innovation demonstrated
through efforts in meeting the challenges of climate change through sustainable
design. The recent Australian exhibition at the Venice Architectural Biennale
also showcased cutting-edge 3D technology images of three Australian cities now
and imagined for the future, demonstrating to the world not only the enormous
creativity of Australian architects, but the possibilities and potentials for the
development of sustainable built environments.”
The Institute commends the Australian Services Roundtable for commissioning
the report and commits to encouraging and facilitating public and private sector
progress on regulatory reform with the aim of improving Australia’s services
sector’s productivity.
Australian Institute of Architects | Media Contacts
The Australian Institute of Architects is the peak body for the architectural profession,
representing more than 10,000 members across Australia and overseas. The Institute
actively works to improve the quality of our built environment by promoting quality,
responsible and sustainable design. Visit the Institute for more information
architecture.com.au.
Ms Trish Croaker
National Media/PR Advisor
Mobile - 0408 756 163
trish.croaker@raia.com.au
Margot Paul
National Media/PR Advisor
Mobile - 0402 669 463
margot.paul@raia.com.au
NEWS 
