|  | Australian Hypnosis Legislation UpdateWhilst the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory have
never had hypnosis regulation, in 1998 the state of Victoria quite rightly
de-regulated hypnosis. New South Wales has long allowed self-regulation,
which is responsibly and fairly guided by associations comprised mostly
of professional clinicians, who freely devote much time and input to ensure
high industry standards. - South Australia - The South Australian Government
Review of Psychological Practices Act 1973, in terms of Competition Principles
Draft Report of the Review Panel, dated October 1998, recommended that
all references to hypnosis, principally Section 39, be deleted from the
Act. This was supposed to happen NO LATER than June 2005, however the
South Australian Government has dragged its heels and is now in breach
of an agreement made in 1995 between the Federal Government and all State
Governments who had regulations regarding the practice of hypnosis, that
they would remove all controls over hypnosis from their relevant Psychology
Acts. The South Australian Government as at 1st June 2006 has been in
breach of this agreement for twelve months and could face penalties from
the Federal Government in excess of $80 million.
- Tasmania - Proposed Tasmanian Legislation to replace
the aging, Psychology Registration Act, will not have any restriction
on Hypnosis as a therapeutic practice. Minister for Health Office November
1998.
- The recent Australian Health Minister’s Advisory Council (AHMAC) decision
on this issue is that the ‘regulation on Hypnosis, as an occupational
group is not warranted at this time.’
- Queensland - The Queensland preferred position that
existing controls within the Psychologists Act 1977 over the practice
of Hypnosis be repealed as recommended in the Draft Policy Paper September
1996. In accordance with these recommendations the practice of hypnosis
in Queensland was de-regulated in May 2002.
- Western Australia - The regulations governing the
practice of hypnosis and restricting it to Doctors, Dentists and Psychologists,
or other approved persons were changed by the Western Australian Government
on the 12th of December 2005, and the relevant Psychologists Act in WA
was amended in April 2006 removing all previous controlling restrictions.
- New South Wales - The NSW decision was not to regulate
Hypnosis and the debate appears in Hansard 6797, 19 April 1989.
- Northern Territory - The Northern Territory and ACT
have never legislated to regulate hypnosis and have no intention to do
so.
- Victoria - The Victorian deregulation was legislated
in 1998 when the Psychologists Registration Act 1967, relating to Hypnosis
regulation, ceased to have effect from 1 January 1998.
- There was a 1993 federal government decision to rescind the National
Health and Medical Research Council 1983 Report “Hypnosis in Clinical
Practice”.
Australian Hypnosis Legislation UpdateWhilst the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory have
never had hypnosis regulation, in 1998 the state of Victoria quite rightly
de-regulated hypnosis. New South Wales has long allowed self-regulation,
which is responsibly and fairly guided by associations comprised mostly
of professional clinicians, who freely devote much time and input to ensure
high industry standards. - South Australia - The South Australian Government
Review of Psychological Practices Act 1973, in terms of Competition Principles
Draft Report of the Review Panel, dated October 1998, recommended that
all references to hypnosis, principally Section 39, be deleted from the
Act. This was supposed to happen NO LATER than June 2005, however the
South Australian Government has dragged its heels and is now in breach
of an agreement made in 1995 between the Federal Government and all State
Governments who had regulations regarding the practice of hypnosis, that
they would remove all controls over hypnosis from their relevant Psychology
Acts. The South Australian Government as at 1st June 2006 has been in
breach of this agreement for twelve months and could face penalties from
the Federal Government in excess of $80 million.
- Tasmania - Proposed Tasmanian Legislation to replace
the aging, Psychology Registration Act, will not have any restriction
on Hypnosis as a therapeutic practice. Minister for Health Office November
1998.
- The recent Australian Health Minister’s Advisory Council (AHMAC) decision
on this issue is that the ‘regulation on Hypnosis, as an occupational
group is not warranted at this time.’
- Queensland - The Queensland preferred position that
existing controls within the Psychologists Act 1977 over the practice
of Hypnosis be repealed as recommended in the Draft Policy Paper September
1996. In accordance with these recommendations the practice of hypnosis
in Queensland was de-regulated in May 2002.
- Western Australia - The regulations governing the
practice of hypnosis and restricting it to Doctors, Dentists and Psychologists,
or other approved persons were changed by the Western Australian Government
on the 12th of December 2005, and the relevant Psychologists Act in WA
was amended in April 2006 removing all previous controlling restrictions.
- New South Wales - The NSW decision was not to regulate
Hypnosis and the debate appears in Hansard 6797, 19 April 1989.
- Northern Territory - The Northern Territory and ACT
have never legislated to regulate hypnosis and have no intention to do
so.
- Victoria - The Victorian deregulation was legislated
in 1998 when the Psychologists Registration Act 1967, relating to Hypnosis
regulation, ceased to have effect from 1 January 1998.
- There was a 1993 federal government decision to rescind the National
Health and Medical Research Council 1983 Report “Hypnosis in Clinical
Practice”.
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