The Australian Institute of Architects welcomes a Victorian government policy to encourage women participation in the construction industry. It also calls on other states or territories to adopt similar plans.
Victorias Building Equality Policy, launched in the beginning of 2022Implements quotas for apprentice-trainees and onsite workers and requires suppliers develop Gender Equality Action Plans. It will be applicable to all publicly funded construction projects of $20 million or more. Contractors will have to monitor their entire supply chains.
We look forwardTony Giannone, the president of the Institute national, spoke out about the results of this policy that improves equity and participation.
It is encouraging to see the government recognize the value of procurement as a tool for driving change. However, it is important that these new requirements are not limited to government-funded projects or large construction companies.
The Institute hopes that the BEP’s opportunities will soon translate into smaller public and private projects. This will require architects to be more involved and committed. We plan to consult with groups in the construction industry that are women-friendly to help develop a registry of Gender-Conscious Contractors.
In a statement, The Institute also pointed out that the method of evaluating the outcomes had not been fully defined. It also stated that the quota percentiles were low, and required an annual review to keep industry in line to increase these.
Tony Giannone, Institutes national president, said that gender equity continues to be a major issue for Australia, and the building and construction sector in particular.
Construction is still dominated by men, with only one-quarter the workforce being women.
Both the private and public sectors must intensify their efforts to improve equity over time.
