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Australian Engineers Registration Act?
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GodIsRealUnless DefinedInt:
I just heard that Australia has some law on the books that's coming into force that all engineers have to register with the government and cannot give engineering advice or represent themselves as an engineer unless they do. Something also about you need a minimum of a four year university degree and even then you have to apprentice yourself out to another registered engineer for four years before you can be "blessed" with your own engineer title? Is this throughout the entire country? It sounds to me like protectionism.
gnuarm:
It can mean nothing if you are willing to work around it.  In the US licensing is done at the state level and some states have various restrictions on calling yourself an "engineer".  Easy enough to change your cards and web site to offer "design services" without using the term "engineer" or "engineering".  It's not like medicine where the act of practicing medicine is restricted.  It is too hard to specify what is "engineering" vs. just design so the laws typically only cover how you word what you do. 

Mox nix.  Beat the bureaucrats at their own game. 

I'm sure the politicians can't point to problems this law will solve.  It's the mom and apple pie sort of thing.  Everyone is for law and order.  Most engineering segments that actually have health or safety implications are already covered by regulations requiring special certification like designing bridges.  I don't think you need an engineering degree to design a vacuum cleaner, at least not  the ones I've used.
gnuarm:
If you have to apprentice to an registered engineer for four years to become a registered engineer, how did the first one get registered?
beanflying:
Protectionism seriously?  :bullshit: Show me a Lawyer in any country I can think of that can put out their shingle without qualifications. Pick your profession and pick your country but before giving 'professional' advice you had better be a professional IMO.

Stick to sorting out the USA's paid fake Doctorates, Diplomas and such crap before you critique another trying to raise a standard.
GodIsRealUnless DefinedInt:
Such inconsistencies and irrationalities are likely not the result of rational or evidence-based policy responses to real risks. Indeed, legislators rarely create licenses at the behest of consumers seeking protection from a demonstrated threat to health and safety from an occupation. Instead, they most often create licenses in response to lobbying by those already at work in an occupation and their industry associations.

The idea that an industry would ask to be regulated may seem counterintuitive, but it makes sense given that occupational licenses primarily benefit licensed workers themselves. In serving as a bottleneck on entry into an occupation, licensing restricts the supply of practitioners, allowing those who are licensed to command more in wages and prices for their services. This effect has long been known to economists, starting with Adam Smith, who observed in 1776 that trades conspire to reduce the availability of skilled craftspeople in order to raise wages.

I worked for 10 years in Australia from Melbourne to Sidney and Canberra. I already knew about the electricians limitations for doing your own wiring and coming from a non protectionist "speed bump" country, I was curious and opened up the wiring covers over switches and circuits in homes I rented. I was shocked at the absolute cow manure quality of the work I saw inside. I am sure it met the country's regulation but it did not impress me and left a bad impression in me on a whole for that whole licensed occupation racket. The worst racket though was in automobile licensing restrictions where you had to take your car to a licensed state approved shop to get your annual sign off. The amount of racketeering I saw where parts that were fine were said to be bad and needed costly replacement "bribe" to the auto mechanic business in order to purchase your sign off on registration was absolutely disgusting.

So yes, I stand by protectionist as my statement.
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