As of July 2022, the Australian Counselling Association entered an exclusive partnership with Hawker Britton, Australia’s leading government relations firm.

Hawker Britton offers unrivalled expertise in government lobbying and strategic counsel for organisations looking to work with Labor Governments and is ideally placed to assist ACA.

The partnership will assist ACA to work with the Federal Government to advocate and advance the profession of Counselling and Psychotherapy across several areas such as:

• To develop and maintain relationships with relevant policymakers such as Ministers, Advisers, other Parliamentarians, and officials in the relevant Departments and Agencies
• To provide strategic advice regarding the most effective mode of engagement
• To organise and host meetings with relevant stakeholders at political and official levels
• To alert ACA to policy/political developments relevant to your concerns
• To build the profile and understanding of ACA among policymakers
• To provide feedback regarding progress or otherwise towards agreed objectives
• To assist with any additional projects that may arise moving forward
• Assist in developing effective communications strategies tailored to the Federal Labor Government
• Provide high level strategic counsel regarding the Federal Labor Government and relevant stakeholders
• Facilitate appropriate discussions with relevant government stakeholders
• Outline strategies for ACA to engage with of key decision makers and influencers

ACA will be working directly with Directors Simon Banks (Managing Director) and Emma Webster. Simon is one of Australia’s most highly respected government relations, campaigning, and strategic communications professionals. Since 2007, Simon has advised some of Australia’s and the world’s largest companies on significant commercial transactions requiring Commonwealth Government approvals.

Prior to joining Hawker Britton, Simon served as Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff to three Federal Labor Leaders and has been Federal Labor’s Director of Policy and a Senior Policy and Media Adviser to several Labor Ministers.

Emma Webster is a Director at Hawker Britton’s Victorian office. Emma has been a trusted Senior Adviser at the highest levels of Government, working for Government leaders at a State, Territory, and Federal level including for Premier Daniel Andrews and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

“ACA is proud to advocate on behalf of members and the profession, and we are excited for this partnership with Hawker Britton to open many more doors for us to continue this crucial work,” says Philip Armstrong ACA CEO.

“Advocacy is too important to leave up to third parties and other peak bodies. They simply do not have the same investment on outcomes and cannot directly influence change, particularly if they also advocate for competing disciplines.”

With over 11,000 members, ACA is the leading and largest peak body for Counsellors and Psychotherapists in Australia.