Specialist Psychologists Registration Board
HON ALISON XAMON (East Metropolitan) [10.03 am]: I present a petition containing 281 signatures couched in the following terms —
TO THE HONOURABLE THE SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
This petition of specialist psychologists, psychologists, trainee specialists and other interested parties draws to the attention of the House our Petition for the Establishment of a Specialist Psychologists Registration Board for Western Australia.
We the undersigned ask for the establishment of a statutory board in the state of Western Australia to oversee the registration of specialist psychologists and monitor the continuing education and supervision of specialist psychologist registrars. We ask that this Special Psychologist’s Registration Board be functional as soon as Western Australia moves into the National Registration Scheme for Health Practitioners.
We ask this in response to moves to replace Western Australia’s current specialist title registration process with endorsement, following the establishment of the Psychology Board of Australia (PBA). We have been informed that the PBA intends to downgrade current standards in Western Australia by accepting Australian Psychological Society College (APS) members as ‘endorsed’ psychologists, even though APS Colleges have members without an accredited (or equivalent) postgraduate psychology degree (and some College members do not even have an accredited (or equivalent) undergraduate psychology degree). This would amount to a significant dilution of standards required to practice as specialist psychologists in Western Australia, and thereby place the public at increased risk.
Membership of APS Colleges has not been an acceptable criterion to be registered as a specialists by the Psychologists Board of Western Australia. We also lack confidence in the APS to properly advocate for and credential specialist psychologists.
[See paper 2080.]
Nonconforming Petition
HON ALISON XAMON (East Metropolitan) [10.04 am]: Mr President, I seek leave to present a nonconforming petition containing 77 signatures. The petition does not conform with the standing orders of the Legislative Council because it is not addressed to the President of the Legislative Council.
Leave denied.