Industry Association: Landscape Australia Inc (LAI)
Association Profile
In 1988 the Landscape Industry Association of Australia Inc. (LIAA) was incorporated in Victoria and has been through a number of corporate changes since that time. In October 2004 LIAA changed its name and registration, moving from Victoria to Queensland under the name of the Australian Landscape Industries
Association Inc. (ALIA). In November 2009 the name progressed into the current Landscaping Australia Inc (LAI). The national association has always been secondary to the more powerful state associations and utilised as a central point of contact and vehicle for industrial relations issues and government lobbying as well as conferences and international study tours.
The LAI Board structure consists of two members from each state landscape association made up of the current President and an elected National Delegate. The Board also consists of an immediate past President and is managed and administered through a Chief Executive Officer who undertakes general management duties and strategic development.
LAI has finalised acceptance by Government of a National Career Path strategy to be taught at all TAFE schools and private RTOs (Registered Training Organisations) across Australia in order to match up the COAG proposal to introduce a National Scheme of Licensing. Matching the two, ultimately benefit young people planning to enter the Landscape Industry as a career and ensuring that similar subjects are taught nationwide. A level of professionalism has continuously developed since the mid-1980s with horticulture degrees, diplomas and apprenticeships being well sought-after. In addition, the all-important “Structural Landscape” licensing has become legislated in many states and is believed will go nationwide (including New Zealand) within a short time. In some Australian states both Company Accreditation and individual Landscape Contractor Certification already exists. This provides instant recognition of quality landscape contractors and suppliers to the consumer.
The Australian Landscape Industry has reacted to consumer demand and the need to provide professional well-trained contractors and indeed dedicated Landscape Architects (not just Building Architects). Legislated licensing in structural landscaping (hard elements) has or is targeted to remove the untrained contractor and replace them with professional, highly-skilled personnel who will provide confidence to the consumer and reduce complaints that in turn will lift the professional image of the quality tradesperson.
LAI has finalised the correlation of a national industry analysis. The aim of the survey was to evaluate the size of the landscape industry in Australia, including data on the breakup of the supply and demand chain, setting benchmarks, evaluating the need for skilled labour and training, and main issues affecting current landscape businesses. This survey provides an excellent database of information on which to set benchmarks and develop industry best practice programs.
AgriFood in conjunction with Landscaping Australia Inc. conducted a workforce development project across the industry during the second half of 2011The project brief was to address concerns held by the landscaping industry over a number of labour market and workforce development issues especially relating to new higher-level skill requirements, business skills and labour attraction and retention. The results of this survey will be available on our website this year. Importantly, nearly all industries rely heavily on the landscaping sector for their own successful development and asset realisation at the end of the project. We work in conjunction with the huge supply and demand chain within Lifestyle Horticulture. Examples are:
• Open space parklands and specialty tourist and community development
• Tourism attraction/ecotourism and community development (Olympics)
• Sporting fields and stadiums (cricket/football/golf/bowls)
• Racetracks
• Holiday resorts/tourism (external/internal landscaping)
• Infrastructure developments (highways/shopping malls)
• Health facilities (hospitals/repatriation clinics/aged care facilities)
• Commercial/industrial facilities (employee attraction)
• School playgrounds and sporting fields
• Residential asset growth (domestic housing/renovation/retirement villages)
• Major projects and property/residential development
• Legislated “Greenland” projects
State Contact and Information:
Landscape NSW & ACT Ltd
PO Box 3267 North Parramatta, NSW 1750
Ph: 02 9630 4844 Fax: 02 9630 4877
Email: lna@landscapenswact.com.au
Web: www.landscapenswact.com.au
Landscape Association of South Australia Inc
PO Box 108 Goodwood, SA 5034
Ph: 08 8210 5229 Fax: 08 8231 4173
Email: info@lasa.org.au
Web: www.lasa.org.au
Landscape Industries Association of Tasmania Inc
Level 1, 47a Brisbane St Launceston,
TAS 7250
Mob: 0409 527 006
Email: liatadmin@bigpond.com
Web: www.landscapetas.com
Further Contact & Information:
Chief Executive Officer: Jim Vaughan
Landscaping Australia Inc
PO Box 1643 Cleveland, QLD 4163
Ph: 07 3488 0916 Fax: 07 3488 0918
Email: info@landscapingaustralia.com.au
