Landscaping licence debate

Landscape professionals in Australia’s capital are pushing back against a proposed licensing framework – a discussion that may sound familiar to New Zealand contractors navigating our own regulatory environment.

The Landscape Association (TLA) in Australia is leading a renewed campaign to have structural landscaping formally recognised within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government’s trade licensing review, arguing that excluding the sector risks creating unnecessary complexity for businesses and confusion for consumers.

At the centre of the debate is how landscaping work is classified within construction licensing. While the ACT review considers licensing requirements for trades such as concreting, carpentry, bricklaying and waterproofing, structural landscaping has been left out of the consultation process. According to TLA, that omission fails to reflect how landscaping projects are delivered in practice.

MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES

Modern structural landscaping commonly combines multiple disciplines into a single integrated service. Retaining walls, paving, decking, drainage, concreting and outdoor structures are often completed under one contract by one landscaping business. Without a dedicated landscaping licence category, businesses could potentially be forced to obtain several separate trade licences.

TLA says the industry has spent more than two years engaging with ACT on the issue. While TLA says there has been acknowledgement that landscape licensing has merit, the sector was ultimately excluded from the current review.

In communications circulated to members, TLA argued that introducing a fit-for-purpose landscape licence would provide clearer accountability, strengthen consumer protection and better recognise the specialist skills required in structural landscaping.

NO RECOGNISED NZ FRAMEWORK

For New Zealand readers, the debate highlights familiar tensions around regulation, accountability and professional recognition in the sector.

Unlike several Australian states, New Zealand does not currently have a dedicated licensing framework for landscapers. Instead, elements of landscape construction fall under broader building regulations, particularly where projects involve retaining walls, decks, drainage or structures requiring building consent. In some cases, Licensed Building Practitioners may need to be involved.

That creates a similar grey area to the one being debated in Australia – where landscaping increasingly overlaps with construction, yet does not always fit neatly within traditional categories.

While the review is specific to the ACT, the debate will likely resonate with contractors across Australasia.