Report from the APS 2011 AGM

A number of items of special business were dealt with at the 2011 AGM in Canberra.

Members elected to the grade of Honorary Fellow and Fellow

Two members were elected to the membership grade of Honorary Fellow of the Society at the AGM: Emeritus Professor Graham Davidson and Adjunct Associate Professor Amanda Gordon. Profiles of the two new Honorary Fellows can be found on page 44 of this edition.

Sixteen members were elected to the membership grade of Fellow of the Society: Dr Elizabeth Allworth, Associate Professor Stephen Bowden, Associate Professor Paul Bramston, Dr Susie Burke, Professor Andrew Day, Dr Linley Denson, Professor Patrick Heaven, Ms Elaine Hosie, Associate Professor Michael Knowles, Ms Joyleen Koolmatrie, Mr Alan Plumb, Professor Martine Powell, Dr Lina Ricciardelli, Ms Ann Stark, Professor Yvonne Wells and Dr Deborah Wilmoth. Profiles of the new Fellows were presented on page 44 of the October edition of InPsych.

Formation of three new APS Interest Groups

Motions to establish three new Interest Groups of the Society were carried by the membership, these being the APS Interest Groups on:

• Psychologists in Schools
• Refugee Issues and Psychology
• Yoga and Psychology.

New Interest Groups can be established when there is expressed interest from at least 20 members from across Australia, and following Board approval and ratification by the APS membership. Information on the three new Interest Groups will be available from the APS website once the groups have been established and office bearers appointed.

Changes to the Generic Rules for Colleges

A motion to make particular amendments to the Generic Rules for Colleges was passed by the membership. Since the Generic Rules were aligned with the requirements for the Psychology Board of Australia for area of practice endorsement at last year’s AGM, the Psychology Board has introduced a number of further changes and additions to requirements, including changes to the transitional arrangements. The new amendments to the Generic Rules will now ensure that eligibility for APS College membership will provide eligibility for area of practice endorsement under national registration (although this will still require application to the Psychology Board of Australia to formalise the endorsement).

In addition, the amendments to the Generic Rules introduce measures to exempt retired, non-practising College members from having to meet continuing professional development requirements. A second measure will enable applications for reinstatement of membership for past College members where their membership lapsed due to extenuating circumstances. These changes have been introduced in the interests of fairness to address the concerns of members affected by such circumstances.

For details of these changes to the Generic Rules, refer to page 17 of the 2011 AGM agenda (2011-AGM-Agenda-2011.pdf ).