Professions Australia - A national organisation of professional associations

<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> <br><a href = "thecouncil.html">About Professions Australia</a><br> <a href = "branches.html">Branches & NSWCOP</a><br> <a href = "policymaterial.html">Policy Material</a><br> <a href = "knowledgenetwork.html">Knowledge Network</a><br> <a href = "alertsandnews.html">Alerts and Newsletters</a><br> <a href = "membership.html">Membership Information</a><br> <a href = "office.html">Office & Contacts</a><br> <a href = "sitesearch.html">Search</a><br> <a href = "Memberlogin.html">Member Login</a><br> <a href = "memberlogout.html">Logout</a><br> <a href = "Homepage.html">Home</a><br> <a href = "Constitution.html">Constitution</a><br> <a href = "YoungProf.html">Young Professionals</a><br> <a href = "ethicsresource.html">Ethics Resource Centre</a><br> <a href = "history.html">History</a><br> <a href = "visionrole.html">Vision and Role</a><br> <a href = "Board.html">Board</a><br> <a href = "committees.html">Committees</a><br> <a href = "mediaspeeches.html">Media, Speeches</a><br> <a href = "award.html">Professional of the Year Award</a><br> <a href = "archives.html">Archives</a><br> <a href = "NSWCOP.html">NSWCOP</a><br> <a href = "victoria.html">Victoria</a><br> <a href = "Queensland.html">Queensland</a><br> <a href = "wa.html">Western Australia</a><br> <a href = "sa.html">South Australia</a><br> <a href = "tasmania.html">Tasmania</a><br> <a href = "act.html">ACT</a><br> <a href = "competitionpolicy.html">Competition Policy</a><br> <a href = "insurance.html">Insurance</a><br> <a href = "highereducation.html">Higher Education</a><br> <a href = "other.html">Other</a><br> <a href = "knetsample.html">Knowledge Base Sample</a><br> <a href = "kbase.html">Knowledge Base</a><br> <a href = "kpeople.html">Knowledge People</a><br> <a href = "ktalk.html">Knowledge Talk</a><br> <a href = "submitkbase.html">Submit to Knowledge Base</a><br> <a href = "submitkpeople.html">Submit to Knowledge People</a><br> <a href = "alertssample.html">Alerts and News Sample</a><br> <a href = "alerts.html">Alerts</a><br> <a href = "newsletters.html">Newsletters</a><br> <a href = "subscription.html">Alerts and News Subscription</a><br> <a href = "criteria.html">Criteria</a><br> <a href = "Rates.html">Membership Rates</a><br> <a href = "member.html">Member Associations</a><br> <a href = "KBManual.html">Knowledge Base Manual</a><br> <a href = "defineprofession.html">Definition of a Profession</a><br> <a href = "KBWP.html">Knowledge Base White Papers</a><br> <a href = "ValueStatement.html">Value Statement</a><br> <a href = "Apply.html">Apply to join</a><br> <a href = "Constitutioncontinue.html">Constitution continued</a><br> <a href = "ParticReportsNov2003.html">Participant reports Roundtable Nov 2003</a><br> <a href = "latestnewsletter.html">Latest Newsletter</a><br> <a href = "bankruptcy.html">Bankruptcy legislation</a><br> <a href = "whatsnew.html">What's New</a><br> <a href = "ethicsplan.html">Ethics Action Plan</a><br> <a href = "definitionprofession.html">Definition of a Profession</a><br> <a href = "ethicscodes.html">Codes of Ethics</a><br> <a href = "ethicseducation.html">Ethics Education</a><br> <a href = "ethicsforum.html">Ethics Forum</a><br> <a href = "relatedsites.html">Related Sites</a><br> <a href = "ethicsreading.html">Reading</a><br> <a href = "ethicscasestudies.html">Ethics Case Studies</a><br> <a href = "ethicsresearch.html">Ethics Research</a><br> <a href = "CPSS.html">Competition Policy Submission (1998)</a><br> <a href = "SERC.html">Submission to Economics References Committee (May 2002)</a><br> <a href = "SSWSTTTR.html">Structured Settlements - Why support them through tax reform (May 2001)</a><br> <a href = "STTRLN.html">Submission to the Review of the Law of Negligence (August 2002)</a><br> <a href = "MRPWBI.html">Media Release: Professions want broader indemnity agenda (June 2002)</a><br> <a href = "PORM.html">Policy on Risk Management (November 1997)</a><br> <a href = "PR2001.html">AGM 2001 Presidents Address</a><br> <a href = "AFGFA.html">Professional Liability - A fair go for all - 1998</a><br> <a href = "TPPIAC.html">The Professions, Public Interest and Competition Policy (2000)</a><br> <a href = "APSUT.html">Australia's Professional Services under threat 1997</a><br> <a href = "NCPP.html">National Competition policy & the professions 1997</a><br> <a href = "DWRME.html">Dealing with risk. Managing expectations 1996</a><br> <a href = "GM2002.html">GM 2002 Presidents Speech</a><br> <a href = "AGM2002.html">AGM 2002 Presidents Address</a><br> <a href = "MediaRelease25Nov.html">Ipp Media Release</a><br> <a href = "MediaReleaseNov02.html">Professional Indemnity Insurance Crisis - media Release</a><br> <a href = "AGM1999.html">AGM President Address 1999</a><br> <a href = "SCAGMINCO.html">Submission to SCAG-MINCO 9 Dec 2002</a><br> <a href = "JCCV.html">John Castles CV</a><br> <a href = "BGCV.html">Barry Grear CV</a><br> <a href = "DTCV.html">David Thomson CV</a><br> <a href = "VICletter.html">Victorian market failure in Professional Indemnity insurance</a><br> <a href = "CVSTP.html">Coonan's view a shock to professionals</a><br> <a href = "PBULC.html">Peak body urges liability cap</a><br> <a href = "LDRA.html">Liability decision rouses anger</a><br> <a href = "PLNHG.html">Proportionate liability is not Holy Grail</a><br> <a href = "GPAS.html">Government position appears to be shifting</a><br> <a href = "pumta.html">Professions urge ministers to act now</a><br> <a href = "tpauc.html">TPA 'undermines capping'</a><br> <a href = "mtstmt.html">Market 'too small and too much trouble'</a><br> <a href = "pimfnps.html">PI market failure needs a package solution</a><br> <a href = "cfncoll.html">Call for national cap on lawyers' liability</a><br> <a href = "POPSR.html">Policy on Professional Self-Regulation (1990)</a><br> <a href = "RDEWL.html">Role and Duties of an Expert Witness in Litigation (1998)</a><br> <a href = "107.html">Alert No 107 (29 May 03)</a><br> <a href = "1071.html">Alert No 107 Attach 0ne</a><br> <a href = "1072.html">Alert No 107 Attach Two</a><br> <a href = "1073.html">Alert No 107 Attach three- Implementation paper</a><br> <a href = "1074.html">Alert No 107 Attach Four</a><br> <a href = "Treasurer.html">Paul Meiklejohn</a><br> <a href = "Boardmemberone.html">Monica Persson</a><br> <a href = "nswcopcontacts.html">Contacts</a><br> <a href = "nswcopobjectives.html">Objectives</a><br> <a href = "nswcoppsl.html">Professional Standards Legislation</a><br> <a href = "nswcopevents.html">Events</a><br> <a href = "nswcopnletters.html">NSWCOP Newsletters</a><br> <a href = "SeptHigherEd.html">Nelson reforms miss the main point, say professions</a><br> <a href = "PSCJune03Seminar.html">NSW PSC June Seminar</a><br> <a href = "VicCPAJuly03Seminar.html">Vic CPA professional indemnity seminar, 28 July 2003</a><br> <a href = "BrisbaneHandPI.html">John Hand Brisbane PI Paper, 30 July 2003</a><br> <a href = "ICAABrisbanePaper.html">Brisbane ICAA PI paper</a><br> <a href = "PolCampaignsArticle.html">Professions Australia learns lessons on political campaigns</a><br> <a href = "AnaGovan.html">Ana Govan (information technology)</a><br> <a href = "BrigetteHall.html">Brigette Hall (minerals)</a><br> <a href = "NikkiBrennan.html">Nikki Brennan (architecture)</a><br> <a href = "NinaQuinn.html">Nina Quinn (audiology)</a><br> <a href = "LukeFraser.html">Luke Fraser (construction)</a><br> <a href = "PhilippaThomson.html">Philippa Thomson (dentistry)</a><br> <a href = "KateWest.html">Kate West (engineering)</a><br> <a href = "profcomppublic.html">Professionalism, competition policy and the public interest: Issues paper (2003)</a><br> <a href = "SenateTPAbriefing.html">Senate TPA inquiry briefing notes March 2004</a><br> <a href = "ICActReview.html">Insurance Contracts Act review key documents</a><br> <a href = "ACCCinsurancereviews.html">ACCC insurance market pricing reviews</a><br> <a href = "SenatorCoonanwebsite.html">Senator Coonan website</a><br> <a href = "InsuranceCouncil.html">Insurance Council website</a><br> <a href = "CoonanJuly2003letter.html">Letter to Coonan on timing July 2003</a><br> <a href = "MinletterMar2004.html">Letter to Ministers on timing March 2004</a><br> <a href = "MinContOutMar2004ltr.html">Letter to Ministers against contracting out (March 2004)</a><br> <a href = "12March2004update.html">Update 12 March 2004</a><br> <a href = "TPAPSLinquiry.html">Senate Committee inquiry into Trade Practices Act amendments</a><br> <a href = "AGM2003Pres.html">AGM 2003 Presidents Address</a><br> <a href = "OMNov2003Pres.html">Ordinary Meeting November 2003 Presidents Address</a><br> <a href = "HobartMediaFeb2004.html">Comments on Hobart Insurance Ministers meeting Feb 2004</a><br> <a href = "Feb2004PISurveys.html">February 2004 professional indemnity surveys</a><br> <a href = "HigherEdltrs25Sep03.html">Higher Education letters 25 Sep 2003</a><br> <a href = "HigherEdmed8Oct2003.html">Higher Ed media 8 October 2003</a><br> <a href = "HigherEdltr6Nov03.html">Higher Ed letter 6 Nov 2003</a><br> <a href = "HigherEdltrs26Nov03.html">Higher Ed letters 26 Nov 2003</a><br> <a href = "HigherEdltr30Sep03.html">Higher Ed letter 30 September 03</a><br> <a href = "HigherEdAFR13Oct03.html">Higher Education AFR Op Ed piece 13 October 03</a><br> <a href = "pasub.html">National Competition Policy Review - PA Submission (2004)</a><br> <a href = "profoftheyear.html">Announcement of 2004 Professional of the Year</a><br> <a href = "membercodes.html">Examples of Member Codes</a><br> <a href = "codeprinciples.html">Code Principles</a><br> <br><B><FONT face=Arial size=5> <P align=center>4 Key messages</P> <P></FONT><I><SPAN><B><I><SPAN><B><I><FONT face=Arial size=4> </P> <P>1. There is market failure</P></B></I></FONT></SPAN></B></I></SPAN> <UL></B></I> <LI>Professionals can’t get insurance for many types of work </LI></UL> <DIR> <P>and, when they <I>can</I> get it, they find premiums and excesses have skyrocketed.</P></DIR> <UL> <LI>Consumers won’t be able to get the professional services they need: </LI></UL> <P>professionals won’t be providing them because they can’t get insurance cover – </P> <P>or they will have closed down altogether.</P> <UL> <LI>Consumers also run the risk that a professional is not insured </LI></UL> <P>but they won’t necessarily know this.</P><B><I><FONT face=Arial size=4> <P>2. It’s happening here and now</P> <UL></B></I></FONT> <LI>It’s happening right here in the electorate of [….] </LI></UL> <P>and it’s affecting many professions.</P> <UL> <LI>It’s happening particularly to small business people </LI></UL> <P>because the majority of professionals are in small business.</P><B><I><FONT face=Arial size=4> <P>3. There is a solution: PSL + PL + TPA</P> <P></I></FONT><FONT face=Arial> </P> <P>PSL – Professional Standards Legislation (for economic loss, <I>not</I> personal injury)</P> <UL></B></FONT> <LI>Protects consumers – by requiring professionals to have professional indemnity insurance </LI></UL> <P>and by requiring high professional standards and risk management.</P> <UL> <LI>Protects professionals – by capping civil liability payouts </LI></UL> <DIR> <DIR> <P>but at a high level so that all claims from individual consumers are covered and 98 per cent of corporate claims.</P></DIR></DIR> <UL> <LI>Gives some certainty to insurers – because they can calculate likely payouts.</LI></UL><B><FONT face=Arial> <P>PL – Proportionate Liability</P> <UL></B></FONT> <LI>Makes providers responsible only for the loss they themselves cause. </LI></UL><B><FONT face=Arial> <P>TPA – Trade Practices Act amendment</P> <UL></B></FONT> <LI>Treat liability under the TPA in the same way as actions under State or Territory law. </LI></UL><B><I><FONT face=Arial size=4> <P>4. Do it nationally – and as a package</P> <UL></B></I></FONT> <LI>Nationally consistent basis – ‘one in, all in’</LI></UL> <P>to avoid ‘forum shopping’</P> <P>to avoid professionals leaving jurisdictions that don’t have PSL and PL.</P> <P>(We can provide a pamphlet on the issues and a short paper on how national administration would work.)</P> <UL> <LI>Finally, all three parts are essential: PSL + PL + TPA.</LI></UL> </body>