@Graff it depends on the job title and description/task you have undertaken during your 8-9yrs of experience. Consider @OZingwithOZomeness comment. Just make sure when you lodge your assessment documents everything is consistent so most of experience is credited.
Example: Say Juan claiming for 9yrs exp as a Quantity Surveyor (assume worked up to Jan 2018)
Jan 2016-Jan 2018
Project Quantity Surveyor
Company XXX
Tasks: (management, estimating, cost planning, tendering, etc.)
Jan 2013- Jan 2016
Site Engineer
Company YYY
Tasks: (inspection, estimating, coordination, etc)
Jan 2009- Jan 2013
Quantity Surveyor
Company ZZZ
Tasks: (estimating, cost planning, tendering, etc.)
If Juan claims 9 yrs exp, experience with Company YYY might not be credited as his title was Site Engineer even though part of his task was estimating. He can however request his previous employer (if possible) to change it from Site Engineer to Estimator or include it like "Site Engineer/Estimator" then make sure his CV would reflect roles of an estimator/qs.