News and publications

Latest news

Celebrating World Standards Day

World Standards Day, celebrated on 14 October each year, aims to raise awareness of the importance of standardisation. 

Meet the presenters for the Forum on 30 March

The next Professional Standards Councils’ Forum is coming up on 30 March 2023, with registrations open to join the conversation on the theme of ‘Fit for purpose regulation: lessons from reviews’. 

2021/22 Annual Report Highlights

An interactive microsite has been published highlighting the work of the Professional Standards Councils and professional associations over the past 12 months. 

Association Codes of Ethics

On #GlobalEthicsDay, a new four-part series has been published by the Professional Standards Councils to assist occupational associations with developing, implementing, and revising association Codes of Ethics. 

Launch of Strategy 2025

In Strategy 2025, the Professional Standards Councils present our plan and priorities for the next three years as we lead the national system of professional standards regulation. 

Examining the benefits of professional standards schemes

The Professional Standards Councils commissioned Taylor Fry to examine and evidence the benefits delivered by professional standards schemes – effects on professional indemnity insurance and consumer complaints and claims.

Meet the presenters for the Forum on 7 April

A fourth speaker has been added to the lineup for the next Professional Standards Councils’ Forum. The Forum will be held online on 7 April 2022 on the theme ‘Responding to risk – insurance and improvement strategies’. 

Celebrating World Consumer Rights Day

World Consumer Rights Day, celebrated on March 15 each year, aims to raise awareness about consumer rights and needs. Professional standards schemes help improve professional standards to help protect consumers. 

Register for the Professional Standards April Forum: Responding to risk – insurance and improvement strategies

Bookings are now open for the Professional Standards April Forum, to be held online on Thursday, 7 April 2022 from 9:30am to 1:15pm AEST.  

The Forum will explore the theme ‘Responding to risk – insurance and improvement strategies’ and will feature a panel of distinguished speakers and a practical workshop on insurance and improvement strategies to assist associations to bring a focus to reducing risk and enhancing consumer protection. 

Meet the speakers for the Forum on 15 April 2021

A panel of regulatory, academic and association experts will speak at the next Professional Standards Forum on the theme ‘Trust and confidence: responding to community expectations’. 

Office Closed Until 11 January 2021

The Professional Standards Authority wishes you a safe and happy holiday season. Our office will be closed from 5.00pm Thursday 24 December 2020 and will reopen 9.00am Monday 11 January 2021.

New Annual Membership Assurance Report

The Professional Standards Councils have released a new Annual Membership Assurance Report to help simplify the fee calculation compliance reporting required of associations.

Constructing Building Integrity: Raising Standards

The Professional Standards Councils are pleased to join Griffith University as a major research partner for a project aimed at raising occupational standards and consumer protection in the building industry.

The Authority's support on Operation Bushfire Assist

Following the call out from the Governor-General to all Australian Defence Force Reserves to help with 'Operation Bushfire Assist', Gabrielle Hendry from the Professional Standards Authority reported for duty.

Meet the panel for the next Professional Standards Forum

The Forum will feature a panel of distinguished speakers who will lead a discussion on the opportunities and challenges in successfully regulating for ethical values, principles and behaviours that are consumer focused. 

2019 Professional Standards Forum

The second Professional Standards Forum for 2019, held in Melbourne on 21 November, was hosted by the Professional Standards Authority Acting CEO, Mr John R Rappell. Over 40 delegates heard from an expert panel on the use of complaints data to understand consumer experiences and to drive improvements in the delivery of professional services.

PSA Welcomes Summer Law Clerks

The Professional Standards Authority is pleased to welcome two law students - Elise Galati from Macquarie University and James Dunn from the University of NSW - to work with us over summer. 

Happy World Standards Day

This day celebrates the collaborative efforts of experts around the world and to raise awareness of the importance of voluntary standards in helping meet the needs of business, industry, government, and consumers worldwide.

Forum registrations open

Registrations are now open for the second Professional Standards Forum for occupational associations on how to get the best out of operating Professional Standards Schemes.

Case Law Regarding Professional Standards Legislation

The Professional Standards Councils and the NSW Crown Solicitor’s Office have cooperated to update the summary of cases where courts have considered the Professional Standards Legislation and the Professional Standards Schemes approved under that legislation.

Forum registrations open

Registrations are now open for the first Professional Standards Forumfor occupational associations on how to get the best out of operating Professional Standards Schemes.  

New appointment for Queensland Council

The Professional Standards Authority is pleased to advise that the Queensland Attorney-General and Minister for Justice has appointed Ms Elizabeth Shearer to the Queensland Professional Standards Council. 

Expiration of the CIRCEA Scheme

The CIRCEA Scheme which operated under the Professional Standards Act 1994 (NSW) expired naturally on 28 February 2018.

Expiration of the ATMA Scheme

The ATMA Scheme which operated under the Professional Standards Act 2003 (Vic) expired naturally on 31 December 2017.

New CEO and Executive Director

Roxane Marcelle-Shaw newly appointed as the Executive Director of the Professional Standards Authority and CEO of the Professional Standards Councils.

Changes at the PSC and PSA

Dr Deen Sanders OAM, will be leaving the Professional Standards Councils and the Professional Standards Authority to head up the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority Limited (FASEA). John Rappell, Director of Professional Schemes, will be the Executive Director in the interim, and business will continue as normal.

LIV receives PSS certificate

The Councils congratulates the Law Institute of Victoria on the approval of their new Professional Standards Scheme. 

CPA's Professional Standards Scheme

The current CPA Professional Standards Scheme, which operates in all mainland jurisdictions, will expire naturally, after four years on 7 October 2017. The scheme participants include 7029 members who have a CPA Public Practice Certificate. 

CPA's proposed scheme open for public consultation

The Professional Standards Councils have decided to publish the Professional Standards Scheme proposed by CPA Australia Ltd, and invite the public to make comments and submissions on the proposed Scheme.

Research in professionalism

As part of a major ARC Linkage project led by UNSW about professions, professional obligation and regulation in the 21st century, a series of research articles have been featured in the UNSW Law Journal, Vol 40 No.1: Contemporary Professionalism in Practice.

CA ANZ Thought Leadership Forum

The Chief Executive Officer of the Professional Standards Councils, Dr Deen Sanders, recently spoke at CA ANZ‚Äôs annual Thought Leadership Forum at RMIT Melbourne. 

Modern Professional Practice and its Future

UNSW are hosting a one-day conference exploring the future of professional practice in the 21st century. Come and engage with the latest research, hear industry perspectives on practical implementation, and participate in discussions.

Research Grant awarded to KCA

We are pleased to announce the first recipient of our 2014 Research Grants, which funds study into improving and advancing professional standards in Australia. 

Victorian Bar introduces new accreditation scheme

The Professional Standards Councils congratulate the Victorian Bar on the launch of Australia’s first accreditation scheme for criminal barristers, the Indictable Crimes Certificate (ICC).

Dr Deen Sanders to present at AuSAE Leadership Symposium

The Chief Executive Officer of the Professional Standards Councils, Dr Deen Sanders, will be speaking at the Australasian Society of Association Executives’ Annual AuSAE Leadership Symposium in Sydney on Monday 13 October.

Latest annual report now available

We are pleased to announce the release of the Professional Standards Councils Annual Report 2013-14, which summarises our activities and performance over the last financial year.

Dr Deen Sanders to give keynote at AFAC14

The Chief Executive Officer of the Professional Standards Councils, Dr Deen Sanders, will be making one of the keynote speeches at AFAC14 in Wellington, New Zealand, on Thursday 4 September.

New Professional Standards Schemes approved

We congratulate the Western Australian Bar Association (WABA), Law Society of Western Australia and the Victorian Bar Association on the approval of their new Professional Standards Schemes.

“The decision to award a Professional Standards Scheme is our recognition of these associations’ capacity and commitment to be an effective self-regulatory organisation, dedicated to improving the professional standards of their memberships,” said our CEO, Dr Deen Sanders.