In 2019 the APS has explored new partnerships and opportunities, carefully developing stakeholder relationships to ensure psychologists are granted an appropriate role in a range of organisations, settings and systems in Australian life.

Highlights

• The CEO met with a range of decision makers at state and federal levels, including government ministers, shadow ministers and bureaucrats to advocate for the work of all psychologists.
• Relationships were strengthened with the regulator and with the Chair of the Psychology Board of Australia to widen the flow of communication with the APS.
• APS staff represented psychologists on a large number of influential advisory groups and committees across areas including health service delivery, health workforce and regulation, aged care and child and family welfare.

Embracing the diversity of the profession and harnessing the different views of psychologists has been carried out via consultations with members and through diverse representations across APS publications.

Highlights

• APS Medicare Benefits Schedule Expert Committee, set up in February 2019. Committee members were independently selected by member groups, with a health economist and two consumer representatives also included.
• Advisory Council – made up of a diverse cross-section of the membership – met twice this year and played a large part in informing the priorities of the Strategic Plan.
• Industry Advisory Group, set up to ensure representation from interested parties, some of which include the Psychology Board of Australia, the Australian College of Applied Psychology, the Australian Clinical Psychology Association and the Institute of Practising Psychologists.
• Covering a broad range of topics in InPsych and linking APS psychologists in with the media to speak to their area of expertise.
• Making the case via submissions to Government that psychologists are experts in the assessment and treatment of mental health disorders.

The President and CEO represented the APS at conferences abroad, attending meetings and engaging in discussions on how to strengthen ties with the international psychology community.

Highlights

• New Zealand Psychological Society conference in September 2018. An undertaking was made to work together on more joint activities.
• Visit at the National Office from the British Psychological Society’s outgoing President Nicola Gale and Chief Executive Officer, Sarb Bajwa, in September 2018.
• Participation in a full day forum at the British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference held in Harrogate, England in May 2019 on the role psychologists can play in helping to tackle the climate change crisis. Plans for an international campaign are now underway.
• APA Annual Convention in San Francisco in August 2018. Mr Anthony Cichello presented on Australian psychology as part of a panel of presidents of psychological member associations.
• International Union of Psychological Science in June 2018. Mr Anthony Cichello presented on the APS to the CEOs and Presidents of international psychological member associations.

The input from academic members provides the scientific platform for the profession’s endeavours and guides practitioners in their work. The APS Journals have continued to hold their position as respected sources of topical and impactful research across the different fields of psychology.

Highlights

• Australian Psychologist, Australian Journal of Psychology and Clinical Psychologist featured in Wiley’s #top20article campaign, which celebrates the authors of the top 20 most downloaded articles in the last 12 months.