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Addressing the shortage of planners in provincial Victoria

This article returns to a familiar theme, but if you think it's a repeat of what you have heard before, please read on because it presents some important new information. As most readers know in 2004 PIA National conducted a comprehensive enquiry on the planning profession. One of the not unexpected findings was that there was a chronic shortage of planners, particularly in regional areas. That finding was confirmed by a more detailed study that PIA Victoria undertook with some funding by Minister Brumby, as he was then. Those who operate in regional Victoria know that the shortage of planners has not diminished and if anything has probably worsened. Certainly most councils are experiencing considerable difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff, especially experienced staff.