Media Release
For Immediate Release
Brisbane, 13 October 2025
The Australian Counselling Association (ACA) welcomes the formal endorsement of the National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists in Australia by the Minister of Health, Disability and Ageing, the Hon. Mark Butler MP.
This significant decision represents a major milestone in the formal recognition of counselling by the Australian Government. For the first time, counsellors and psychotherapists are unified under a single, approved set of professional standards – a development that will strengthen the profession and enhance public confidence in counselling services nationwide.
What the Standards Deliver
The endorsed framework establishes clarity and consistency across all areas of professional practice, including education and training, qualifications, professional practice, ethics, competency, diversity and inclusion, and quality assurance.
By consolidating previously fragmented codes of conduct, scopes of practice, and competency requirements, the standards create a clear pathway for professional growth, while ensuring the integrity, inclusivity, and quality of the counselling workforce.
ACA CEO Jodie McKenzie said the standards reflect a new era of professionalism for counselling in Australia.
“The standards align with the Australian Qualifications Framework, modernising professional expectations and ensuring relevance, rigour, and accountability across the sector,” Ms McKenzie said.
Recognition Across All Levels
The endorsement validates ACA’s long-standing commitment to represent counsellors at every level – from Diploma to Bachelor to Masters qualifications.
“This recognition affirms the invaluable contribution of Diploma-qualified counsellors and strengthens the professional identity of counsellors across all levels of training. Every qualification adds capacity and diversity to our workforce – an essential factor as Australia faces unprecedented mental health challenges,” Ms McKenzie said.
Responding to Australia’s Mental Health Crisis
Recent findings from the ACA 2024 Workforce Census revealed that counsellors are ready and able to deliver an additional 7.2 appointments per week. This demonstrates the untapped potential of the profession to address the nation’s growing demand for mental health support.
“The need to expand our mental health workforce has never been more urgent. These standards give the counselling profession the recognition, structure, and momentum needed to deliver more care to more Australians, when they need it most.”
The National Standards project was funded in the 2023/24 Federal Budget, following recommendations from the Select Committee into Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (2021). ACA worked collaboratively with PACFA as key invited stakeholders during the project, together with third party contractor Allen & Clarke and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. ACA has proudly advocated for the diversity, inclusivity, and recognition of our members at every stage of this project.
“This is a defining moment for our profession. Together, we are shaping a stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive future for counselling in Australia,” Ms McKenzie said.
ENDS
Media Enquiries:
Australian Counselling Association
Phone: (07) 3356 4255
Email: aca@theaca.net.au.
About the Australian Counselling Association
The Australian Counselling Association (ACA) is Australia’s largest registration body for counselling and psychotherapy with over 21,000 registered counsellors, psychotherapists and students. ACA exists to ensure registration, accreditation, ethical conduct, professional development and growth, and high standards of education and practice are adhered to. ACA is committed to supporting its members throughout their professional journey and shaping the counselling profession, ensuring a trustworthy and proficient workforce for the individuals and communities they support.
https://theaca.net.au/
#NationalStandards
#ACAUpdate
#MediaRelease