PIA WA

PIA WA has been busy promoting planning as a rewarding and impactful career as part of the Become a Planner campaign.

Recently, we had the opportunity to connect with students at the Wesley College, Perth Career Expo and Mercedes College, sharing insights into what planners do and how they help shape vibrant, sustainable and well-designed communities across Western Australia.

Thank you Joyce Chung, Adrian Di Nella, Jason Hunt, Ian Humphrey, Jillian Bardos and Rebekah Thompson, who generously gave their time to support PIA WA’s Become a Planner campaign.

The secret is out!

The PIA WA State Conference 2026 is heading to Curtin University - Elizabeth Jolley Lecture Theatre!

For many planners, this will be a trip down memory lane. Some will have great memories of their time at Curtin, while others may be thinking, “I probably should have worked a little harder...”

Either way, this is your chance to return to campus, reconnect with colleagues, and an opportunity to dust off those lecture theatre note-taking skills!

🎟️ Early Bird tickets are now on sale – visit the link in our bio above.

Secure your place today and be part of the conversation shaping the future of planning.

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PIA WA Statement Supporting Planning Professionals

PIA WA Statement on Respectful Engagement

Professionalism CommunityEngagement

Momentum is building with 70+ already registered for the PIA Regional Conference at the City of Bunbury

Be part of the conversations shaping regional WA and connect with planners from across the state.

Will you be joining them?

Discretion is sought and applied by planning practitioners and local and State decision makers across Western Australia constantly, and despite being firmly embedded in our planning system, is often a source of conflict and controversy.

In recognising the importance of balancing the desire for agility and innovation in the planning decisions with public expectations around consistency, certainty and transparency, the State Government’s Action Plan for Planning Reform included key action items around discretionary powers. Outcomes of that project included amendments to the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 and the introduction of the Development Application Exercise of Discretion Guidelines (Guidelines). The project was recently recognised in the PIA WA Awards for Planning Excellence for its improvement to planning purposes.
This practical course is designed to clarify and improve confidence in those relying on, exercising and communicating discretionary powers. It will take participants through the Guidelines and revisit key principles around the exercise of discretion. Interactive workshop components will allow practitioners to consider scenarios, apply the foundations of the Guidelines and engage with colleagues around the benefits and burdens of this fundamental planning power.

Suitable for
Planning professionals and allied professions, including local government planners, councillors and all planning decision makers, would benefit most from this course.

Learning outcomes
Understand the new Guidelines and their application to decision making.
Understand the principles to consider when exercising discretionary powers, including a review of relevant case law and practical examples.
Improve confidence around the scope and limits of discretionary powers.
Improve the communication of outcomes and decisions involving the exercise of discretionary powers.
Improve connections and networks within the industry through shared experiences and wisdom

Local government planning systems are complex. Making better land use planning decisions demands a holistic and integrated approach that considers both local and state government land use policy priorities. Despite its complexity, our land use planning system is seen as an important tool for creating connected, liveable, and sustainable communities.

This course is for local government elected members and will help them gain a better understanding of land use planning and the role of planners and elected members in decision-making. It will also provide some tools to help make better planning decisions.

Participants will receive a course planning manual and case studies to review.

Learning Outcomes
After this course, you will understand:
- The history of the WA planning system.
- An understanding of what good planning is.
- The range of planning theories and visions that guide planning practice.
- How the planning system works in WA.
- The work that local government town planners do and why.
- Common planning terms and jargon.
- Knowing the difference between advocacy and enquiry in decision making.
- The tools and lessons needed to make better decisions.

What previous attendees said about the course:
“Really great course. I have learnt a lot and highly recommend other EM’s”
“One of the best courses, I would highly recommend”
“Really enjoyed and found the whole course extremely informative”

PIA WA has recently attended two career expos, connecting with students and future professionals to showcase the opportunities in planning.

Thank you to Reyna Leaw Youn, Lena Jaetschmann, Aiko Syafari, Alyssa Read, Pham Nhu Binh Nguyen for promoting planning to all the students.

Regional Conference Special Guest Speaker: Paralympian Sean Pollard
From Saltwater to Snow

Things took a life-changing turn in October 2014 when, on a surfing trip to Esperance in WA with his partner Claire, Sean was bitten by two sharks, one taking his left arm, the other his right hand. Somehow, Sean returned to shore where Claire and some beachgoers kept him alive until he could be taken to hospital in Perth, where he underwent major surgery.

Sean returned home to Bunbury after about six weeks and continued extensive therapy, including physiotherapy to return full functionality to his legs, which had suffered deep lacerations during the incident.

Sean tried to return to surfing, but soon discovered a love for snowboarding, putting him on a new and exciting pathway.

On a trip to Canada, the formerly keen surfer showed immediate affinity for snowboarding. He “bumped into” the Canadian Para snowboard coach during the trip, who encouraged him to investigate competing in Australia. Sean emailed Paralympics Australia and within a few weeks was at a training camp at Perisher.

Sean’s progress was swift. In his first international season, he secured encouraging results in snowboard cross and banked slalom and was included in the Australian Paralympic Team for the 2018 Games in PyeongChang. There, he came fifth in the banked slalom and ninth in snowboard cross.

More recently, Sean captained one of Australia’s biggest Paralympic teams for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games.

Join us for an inspiring session that will leave you motivated both personally and professionally.

PIA WA Regional Conference | City of Bunbury
17 - 19 June 2026

Wednesday, 17 June | Study Tours + Pre-Conference Networking

Thursday, 18 June | WPN WA Breakfast + Regional Conference

Friday, 19 June | WAPC Focus Forum

Please follow the link in our bio above

Thank you to our event sponsors .wa WAPC, Rise Urban, CLE Town Planning + Design, Harley Dykstra

We’re thrilled to invite you to the 2026 PIA WA Regional Conference, set against the stunning backdrop of Bunbury - a vibrant coastal city making waves in planning, innovation and regional leadership.

Planning with Regional Personality: Lessons from Beyond the Urban Fringe

Step away from your everyday to discover fresh perspectives from beyond the urban fringe. Planning with Regional Personality invites you to experience the distinctiveness and often underestimated innovation, the lessons being learnt shaping regional Western Australia that are relevant to every planner no matter where you work.

Join us in Bunbury to connect, learn, and explore as we showcase and celebrate the planners and projects that thrive under the radar, away from the city lights, revealing why the future of planning everywhere is strengthened by embracing regional character, place, and possibility.

Wednesday, 17 June
Study Tour #1 Bunbury Heritage Walk | 2 - 4.30pm
Study Tour #2 Healthy Streets | 2 - 4.30pm

Pre-Conference Networking | 5.30 - 8.30pm
Froth Craft Brewery

Thursday, 18 June
Women in Planning Network (WPN) WA Regional Breakfast | 7 - 8.15am
VAT 2

PIA WA Regional Conference | 9 - 5pm
BREC

Friday, 19 June
WAPC Focus Forum | 9.30 - 11am
DPLH, Bunbury Tower

Speakers
WAPC Chairperson Emma Cole MPIA
WAPC Deputy Chairperson Ray Haeren RPIA (Fellow)
WAPC Commission Member Ryan Hall MPIA
WAPC Commission Member Megan Adair MPIA

Watch this space for more announcements.

Thank you to our sponsors, City of Bunbury, CLE Town Planning + Design, DevelopmentWA, WAPC, Rise Urban, Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, Harley Dykstra