[Commpsych] REMINDER: APS | 2021 Board of Directors election voting and AGM online - every vote counts!

[Heather Gridley]

Dear colleagues

As those of you who are APS members would be aware, it's APS election time again, and a number of you have asked me for my views - this year we have:

  *

5 candidates for President-elect, three of whom have been Presidents previously, another who has been a Board member, and one (the only woman) who would be new to the Board if elected

2 candidates for the Division of Colleges position, which is to represent members who belong to a college other than (or as well as) the Clinical College, so only College members/fellows can vote for that one - either Catriona Davis McCabe or Michael Burge, both Counselling College members. Catriona is also standing for President-elect, so if she is successful there, Michael will automatically be elected to this position. 3 candidates for the Division of General Psychological Practice position, which is reserved for non-College and non-Academic members, so only general (registered or provisional) psychologist members can vote for that one - all three candidates there are women - interesting.  All three present well. I don't get a vote there, but if I did I'd be happy to vote for Jacqui White or Judith Gullifer, both of whom I know and respect. I don't know the third candidate, who is from Adelaide

You can find vote electronically by following the e-trail at: http://www.psy<http://www.psychology.org.au/>chology.org.au/<http://www.psychology.org.au/>   The APS system is optional preferential, so you only need to number the squares of your preferred candidate(s), and not the whole list. And if you don't think you know the APS candidates well enough to make an informed choice, read their statements and videotaped answers to member questions online. Or ask me 🙂

Now that I'm not working in the APS National Office, I can say a bit more about the candidates - what could possibly go wrong?! SO...

     *   if your primary concern is the anomalies in the two-tier system of Medicare rebates under Better Access, you should probably vote for Joe Gagliano. But I can't recall any particular contribution that he made in his previous time on the Board
     *   if your primary concern is on social justice and seeing psychologists pay more attention to the social determinants of health in research and practice, you'll be disappointed - not one candidate has made mention of anything related to SDoH, climate change, equity or social justice... 🙁.  One candidate (Judith Gullifer) makes an Acknowledgement of Country to open her video presentation, and several refer to the diversity of psychology beyond the confines of the Medicare system and related focus on mental health and clinical practice. That's about it.
     *   if like me you don't think it reflects well on the diversity of the Society to have past Chairs of the Clinical College become the next President almost as of right, you wouldn't be voting for Anthony Cichello or Paul Martin, who have both already had their turn as President anyway. So too has Simon Crowe, but I think he has a broader view of the science and profession, given his background as both an academic and a clinical neuropsychologist and forensic psychologist.
     *   I'll be voting for Catriona Davis-McCabe for both President-elect and College positions. I will probably place Simon second and perhaps Joe third on my ballot for President-elect - that's as far as I can go.

If you are unable to join the AGM, you are encouraged to appoint a proxy to attend and vote on your behalf. Honorary Fellows, Fellows, Members and Associate Members are entitled to vote at a general meeting of the APS and can appoint a proxy. Appointed proxies do not need to be an APS member, and you don't need a person's permission to nominate them as your proxy, although of course you should always check of they are actually going to attend the meeting. I am unable to attend this year, so can't offer to be your proxy, but I understand Community College Helen Killmier and Health College Chair Louise Roufeil will be there and are happy to take your proxy.
Feel free to ask me privately for more info on any of the above.

Best regards

Heather

(Apologies for any cross-postings)



Heather Gridley OAM FAPS

Honorary Fellow

College of Health and Biomedicine

Victoria University

Melbourne, Australia

E: heather.gridley at vu.edu.au<mailto:heather.gridley at vu.edu.au>

Ph: +61 419113731


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