The Albanese Government will increase the number of postgraduate psychology places at universities and provide more psychology internships and supervisors so Australians can access a psychologist when needed.
This will help remove barriers to studying and working in mental health, which is sorely needed while Australia faces a critical shortage of mental health workers.
The Albanese Government will support Australia's leading universities to provide up to an additional 500 student places and grow postgraduate psychology courses over a four-year period.
Despite strong demand and interest from students, currently only 10 per cent will complete the required postgraduate course to become a registered psychologist due to the limited number of university places.
The following universities successfully applied for funding through the 2023-24 Postgraduate Psychology Incentive Program Grant Round and will provide 146 additional student places this year:
• Australian National University
• Central Queensland University
• Charles Darwin University
• Curtin University
• Deakin University
• Federation University
• La Trobe University
• Murdoch University
• Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
• University of Adelaide
• University of Canberra
• University of Melbourne
• University of New England
• University of Queensland
• University of South Australia
• University of Southern Queensland
• University of Sydney
• University of Tasmania
• University of the Sunshine Coast
• University of Western Australia
• University of Wollongong
• Western Sydney University
To address bottlenecks in the psychology training pipeline, the Albanese Government will also provide Supporting Provisional Psychologists to Practice grants to increase the availability of psychology internships and supervisor training.
This initiative will support provisional psychologists by funding 681 one-year internships over a four-year period and up to 2860 Psychology Board of Australia endorsed supervisor training places.
To prioritise areas of greatest need, half the internships and supervisor training will be offered to people in First Nations communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and people living in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia.
The following organisations will deliver the internships and supervisor training:
• Stream 1 - psychology internships:
o Western Sydney University (NSW) - 84 places
o Grand Pacific Health (NSW and ACT) - 30 places
o Marathon Health (NSW) - 36 places
o Therapy Pro (QLD) - 85 places
o Flinders University (SA and NT) - 100 places
o CatholicCare Victoria Tasmania (VIC and TAS) - 98 places
o Autism Association of Western Australia (WA) - 48 places
o The Cairnmillar Institute (National) - 200 places
• Stream 2 - supervisor training:
o James Cook University - 380 places
o Deakin University - 480 places
o The Australian Psychological Society - 1000 places
o The Cairnmillar Institute - 1000 places
The Albanese Government has also committed to work with the Psychology Board of Australia to reform and redesign the psychology higher education and registration pathway to make it simpler for students to complete their studies and work in the mental health system.
The redesign will consider opportunities to streamline psychology training, embed a focus on practical learning, and address access and equity challenges with consultations due to commence early in 2025.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"Many students want to become registered psychologists but are unable to due to a lack of internships, supervisors and university places. Given the significant community need for this workforce it critical we expand training pathways.
"We are committed to ensuring Australians can access the mental health services they need when they need it and this investment into the psychology workforce will be essential to improving access.
"Our commitment will address the shortage of registered psychologists and help develop the next generation of registered psychologists."
Quotes attributable to Minister Clare:
"We need more young Australians studying and working in mental health services.
"This is an important investment which will help support more Australians study psychology."
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister McBride:
"The Albanese Labor Government is building the mental health workforce, so that everyone can access the mental health care they need close to home.
"We are providing even more opportunities for students to become registered psychologists by investing in additional psychology internships, supervisors and postgraduate places.
"This investment will support people in regional, rural and remote communities to get the care and support they need from registered psychologists."
