PIA CEO Matt Collins says over the past three years, JSA data shows Australia has “gone from no shortage of planners to a nationwide crisis”. Photo: iStock/Harlz.
All jurisdictions except the ACT are suffering from a shortage of urban and regional planners, which experts are flagging as “an alarming trend” threatening Australia’s ability to coordinate its big housing construction efforts.
The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) has confirmed a critical national shortage in the sector following the release of Jobs and Skills Australia’s (JSA) annual Occupation Shortage List. JSA reported no shortage of planners in 2022, but last year there was a regional shortage.
PIA CEO Matt Collins MPIA says the escalating shortage comes at a time when Australia is grappling with complex planning challenges, including housing affordability, population growth and climate resilience.
“The growing demand for skilled planners to address these issues has outstripped supply, leaving many employers struggling to fill vital roles,” he says.
“This is deeply concerning, particularly as the challenges we face continue to grow in complexity.”
In 2022, a survey of Australian local governments found that planners were one of the top three occupations councils had difficulty recruiting. The two others were engineering and building surveyors, and all are critical for developing housing.
Mr Collins says the ongoing closure of many university planning schools has only compounded the issue.
“Thirteen universities have closed planning programs in the last eight years, affecting the number of qualified graduates entering the field,” he says.
One of the latest institutions to close programs like its Bachelor and Master of Planning degrees was La Trobe University. However, in the past year, other planning course closures have been announced, at James Cook University and Bond University on the Gold Coast – something the PIA claims will continue the already serious impact on regional areas.
A graphic showing the urban and regional planner shortage. S = Shortage; NS = No Shortage; R = Regional Shortage. Image: JSA.
Mr Collins says when the Federal Government’s own data shows there is a serious shortage of planners across the country, “it’s time for action to stop the closure of planning courses”.
“ABS Census data [from 2021] demonstrates there are 232 local government areas in Australia where there were no planners working at all – this is 43 per cent of all local government areas,” he says.
“Planning is an essential component of Australia’s future, and the continued dismantling of planning programs across universities is a troubling trend at a time when planners are needed more than ever to solve the nation’s housing, infrastructure, and environmental challenges.”
Earlier this year, PIA launched its Become A Planner campaign to encourage more people to choose study areas in urban and regional planning. However, Mr Collins says more needs to be done to tackle this growing problem.
“We need a coordinated national effort to build the future planning workforce, and it’s critical that governments invest in planning education, reopen programs at universities, and fund professional development to address these shortages,” he says.
“Without planners, our ability to create vibrant, sustainable communities is at serious risk.”
