The Psychology Board of Australia has imposed mandatory conditions for professional indemnity insurance which, in our view, our current group policy for VPA members does not meet. We were unsuccessful in our lobbying to have the Board accept Union group policies, despite the fact that other registration Boards have approved such policies.

VPA members will have to take out their own policy at their own cost.

We are please to be able to recommend to members the policies offered to VPA members by the IH Group. For an employed VPA member with no private practice income the cost will be $149.64 for the minimum cover of $500,000

For details of the IH Group PI policy and an application form go to www.vicpsych.org.au and click the IH Group button.

How do the IH Group premiums compare with other PI policies? The cost to members of all IH Group policy options appear to be lower than the AON – APS member policy premiums. We invite members to do their own comparisons.

Does the VPA receive any commission or other payments from the insurer? No, the VPA does not receive any ‘kickbacks’, however they may be described. All savings are passed on to members.

What about the current VPA PI Insurance? When does it cease? Your current VPA insurance will cover you up to 30 June 2010.

When should I take out my individual PI policy? You should take out a policy which commences on 1 July 2010, the date on which the PI requirements of the Psychology Board of Australia come into operation.

Any Other Questions? Please read the information at http://www.msav.org.au/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_details&gid=753&Itemid=29 first, then if you have any questions Email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The MSAV and Gribbles have reached agreement in relation to the renewal of the current enterprise agreements covering scientists and technicians employed by Gribbles. A copy of the Agreement has been circulated and voting will take place electronically on 7 June 2010.

The rates of pay at Gribbles for scientists will be adjusted to meet the market, and rates of pay will be adjusted by 4 annual increases of 3.25% over the life of the agreement, with the first increase backdated to 4 January 2010.

Technicians’ rates of pay will be increased by the same 3.25% annual increments, and will also be backdated to 4 January 2010.

All existing terms and conditions of employment have been maintained. Paid maternity leave has been increased to 10 weeks.

We recommend that members vote for the agreement.

We are aware of media speculation about a possible take over/sale of the Healthscope business, which includes Gribbles Pathology.

Membership renewals are being prepared and will be posted out to members next week. The full-time subscription rate for MSAV members will increase by 2% (which is less than the increase in CPI) to $532.95 per annum. The full-time subscription for AHP and VPA members will be $495.00 per annum.

Union fees are fully tax deductible.

Subscriptions can be paid monthly by direct debit. We have arrangements with some private sector employers for Union fees to be paid monthly by payroll deduction. If you are not already paying by direct debit or payroll deduction and would like to do so, please contact our offices.

Members who pay their annual fees as a lump sum can claim a tax deduction in this financial year if payment is made before 30 June 2010.

A member has been chasing up payment for Boxing Day Saturday 26th December 2009 for almost 5 months. Over the period responses from Southern Health payroll have included:

• there is no such entitlement,
• yes there is an entitlement
• please fax amended time sheets so it can be paid
• nobody knows any thing about it
• it will be paid
• the person to sign off on it is away sick
• most people have been paid it
• it will be paid it next pay cycle
• it will be paid to everyone on the same day
• no one has authority to authorise the payment
• here is the copy of the VHIA Bulletin confirming the entitlement

We feel another trip to Fair Work Australia coming on.

Elections are due to be held for positions on the Branch Committee of Management of HSU#4. Nominations open on 1 June 2010 and close on 14 June 2010.

A number of current members of the BCOM have indicated that they will not renominate – many of these members are no longer employed in the industry, and we will miss their input. Now is the opportunity for members of the MSAV, VPA and AHP who feel passionate about protecting the industrial interests of their profession to nominate for the Branch Committee of Management. More details will be available on the website next week.

Members have sent a very clear and strong message to their employer they are not going to accept inferior conditions of employment by voting down both the Scientists and Technicians ‘Employer’ Agreements.

In lopsided results; 80% of Scientists and 78% of Technicians who voted, rejected ‘Agreements’ which would have dramatically and ruthlessly slashed and removed entitlements and terms of condition of employment. We congratulate all members for standing united in very difficult circumstances and voting NO to these diabolical ‘Agreements’ - terms and conditions of employment have been preserved and saved!

We have finally been provided with a copy of the discussion paper on possible rights of private practice for psychologists employed in the public sector. The paper can be found here. (login first)

The VPA Committee will be considering its response at its annual Planning Day on 2 June 2010. Meanwhile we encourage members to forward comments to us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Meanwhile we understand that some mental health services are approaching psychologists to see bulk bill clients using their Medicare number and for the money to go back to the health service.

As members would be aware, from 1 July 2010 psychologists across Australia will need to register with the national Psychology Board of Australia. The Board has released its requirement in relation to professional indemnity and public liability insurance.

These requirements can be viewed at http://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/

From 1 July 2010 each registered psychologist will be required to have individual professional indemnity insurance which complies with the Board’s standard.

The VPA made submissions to the Board urging the Board to approve union group PI policies. Other Boards specifically include union group policies as meeting the requirements of the relevant Board. The Psychology Board of Australia failed to respond to our submission or provide reasons for the adoption of the PI registration standard.

Will the VPA Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy Meet the Standard? We are currently reviewing the VPA PI insurance policy in conjunction with the Board’s Standard, and anticipate being able to advise members next week.

Meanwhile all financial members of the VPA who are employed by an employer are covered by the VPA group policy until 30 June 2010. This cover also includes cover in your private practice if you are also employed; don’t earn more than $25,000 gross a year; and trade as a sole trader.

Technicians – Dorevitch & Gippsland Pathology The votes for the proposed technicians “agreement” were counted last Thursday 7 May 2010. The proposed “agreement” was voted down by 25 votes against to 7 votes in favour.

Technicians have voted to retain their current entitlements, including, among other things, the right to have disputed matters arbitrated, the right to be represented in disciplinary matters, 4 days bereavement leave rather than the proposed 2 days, higher sick leave entitlements, and better redundancy and consultation arrangements. Technicians have refused to agree to allow management to roster them for 10 days in a row, and to force part-time staff to work as and when rostered, rather than have fixed hours and days of work which is currently their right.

Scientists – Dorevitch and Gippsland Pathology We have been advised by management that as “some of the documentation” was not received by scientists that the voting period for the scientists “agreement” has been extended to 17 May 2010. The counting of the vote is to take place on 18 May 2010. The Union will have scrutineers at the counting of the ballot.

In case we need to do so, we remind scientists employed at Dorevitch Pathology and Gippsland Pathology to vote NO to the proposed “Agreement” if you have not yet voted.

Support Staff and Laboratory Assistants – Dorevitch and Gippsland Pathology The proposed ‘agreement” was voted down by staff. The support staff and laboratory assistants’ “agreement” was even worse than the technicians’ and scientists’ “agreements” as it cut long services leave entitlements from 6 months after 15 years to 3 months after 15 years. We understand that management failed to mention this when circulating the “agreement”.

None of the proposed Dorevitch and Gippsland Pathology “agreements” were agreed to by the Union. In the case of some of the agreements no negotiations took place with the Union at all, despite misleading statements to the contrary by management.