State-first scheme will raise the bar on accountability in the planning and development sector

The State Government is pleased to announce that South Australia’s first Accredited Professionals Scheme for planning and building professionals is effective as of today.

The Scheme aims to enhance the reliability and accountability of decision-makers in the planning and development system and give the community greater confidence in the way that their development applications are assessed.

It is a key reform under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.

A state-first, the Scheme will require all planning and building professionals to become accredited within certain classes in order to make key decisions in the planning and development system.

As part of the accreditation process, they will need to demonstrate that they are sufficiently skilled and experienced to operate within their chosen class.

They will also need to abide by a strict code of conduct that has legislative status.

The Scheme will help establish a high-profile community of practice that values ongoing professional development and embeds a culture of integrity and excellence in the planning and development sector.

The Accredited Professionals Scheme will include a new auditing and compliance process to ensure that there is a clearer line of sight between development decisions and outcomes and that all complaints can be investigated swiftly and fairly.

From July 2019 onwards, all accredited professionals will be registered on a central directory on the SA Planning Portal, making it easier for practitioners and applicants to access up-to-date information on all planning and building decision-makers, including their areas of expertise.

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