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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 12 Hansard (7 December) . . Page.. 3914 ..

Mr Moore: No, we are not doing that.

MR KAINE: In fact, you are if you do not pick up Mr Stanhope's amendment. I understand the effect of this bill to be saying to them, "You are no longer psychologists; you cannot be employed."

Mr Moore: No, it does not do that.

MR KAINE: Then you have not made the purpose of this legislation clear. As far as I am concerned, there is a thing called fairness and equity and I understood that there was no problem from the government's viewpoint because those people who are employed as psychologists all knew, had all been counselled, had all been told some time in the past, that if they did not rectify their position there would come the day when they could no longer be employed as psychologists, and this is the day.

If that is not the case, can the minister explain to me what this legislation seeks to do, and to whom does it relate? On balance at the moment, I would have to be persuaded in all fairness that Mr Stanhope's amendment deserves my support, otherwise the bill will affect the employment opportunities of people who have been secure in the knowledge that they were employed as psychologists and would continue to be, despite some legislation that was passed five years ago.

If they have not been counselled, if they have not been told specifically, personally, one - to - one at some time in the past that their status has now changed and they must correct the position and get themselves registered as a psychologist, otherwise their service in the public service cannot be maintained, then you cannot just head them off at the pass, chop them off, and say, "That's it; you have had your chance." I do not think they have if they have not been given the information that they needed in order to make a decision.

The minister has not explained any of that. To me, there is eminent logic in Mr Stanhope's proposal that these people, if their livelihood is going to be affected, should be counselled. They should have been counselled a long time ago, but I have not heard any evidence that they were. Therefore, my inclination is to support Mr Stanhope's amendment and give these people a fair opportunity to do what the government seems now to expect of them.

MR MOORE (Minister for Health, Housing and Community Care) (9.15): I think it is fair to say that Mr Kaine does misunderstand the legislation. I have just gone back through my introductory speech.

Mr Kaine: The legislation is 11/2 pages.

MR MOORE: It is a very simple piece of legislation, Mr Kaine. I should have said that you misunderstand the impact of the legislation. The legislation does not take from anybody who is recognised now as a psychologist the ability to be recognised as a psychologist.

Mr Kaine: Are you employing people who are not recognised psychologists?

MR MOORE: We are employing people now as school counsellors -

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