AMA Speech - Welcome to Country and Opening of Conference

Welcome to Country and Opening of Conference

Friday 23 May 2014, 10.05am

Good morning, and welcome to the 2014 AMA National Conference.

The Australian Medical Association and guests would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which this conference is held - the Ngunnawal people.

We would like to pay our respects to their elders both past and present, and all Aboriginal peoples within these lands, from whatever Aboriginal nation they come.

I would now like you all to be upstanding for the reading of the Declaration of Geneva.

It is a declaration of physicians’ dedication to the humanitarian goals of medicine.

It was originally intended as a revision of the Hippocratic Oath to a formulation of that Oath’s moral truths that could be comprehended and acknowledged in a modern way.

You can follow the words on the screen.  Please read it out loud with me …

I SOLEMNLY PLEDGE to consecrate my life to the service of humanity;

I WILL GIVE to my teachers the respect and gratitude that is their due;

I WILL PRACTISE my profession with conscience and dignity;

THE HEALTH OF MY PATIENT will be my first consideration;

I WILL RESPECT the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died;

I WILL MAINTAIN by all the means in my power, the honour and the noble traditions of the medical profession;

MY COLLEAGUES will be my sisters and brothers;

I WILL NOT PERMIT considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient;

I WILL MAINTAIN the utmost respect for human life;

I WILL NOT USE my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat;

I MAKE THESE PROMISES solemnly, freely and upon my honour.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a busy and exciting program at this year’s Conference.

As you know, events like this just don’t happen without strong support.

The AMA thanks its sponsors:

• Platinum sponsor = Telstra;
• Gold Sponsor = Macquarie Leasing;
• Leadership Development Dinner sponsor = Avant;
• Communications sponsor = Amex;
• Conference sponsor = Volkswagen;
• Conference sponsor = OnePath.

Coming up this morning we will hear from the US Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Mr John Berry.

The AMA is honoured that Mr Berry found time in his busy schedule to share some time with us here today.

A bit later, we have two special guests – Health Minister, Peter Dutton, and Shadow Health Minister, Catherine King.

As you well know, there was a Federal Budget handed down last week – and there were quite a few health measures that have received quite a bit of media exposure since Budget day.

I have a feeling that both the Minister and Shadow Minister will touch on the Health Budget in their speeches.

We also hope to have a bit of Q and A with them – so you might like to start thinking up some questions.

The Health Budget will also be the subject of a Policy Session tomorrow.

This Conference features a world-class list of Policy Sessions and a world-class list of speakers.

We will be covering everything from non-communicable diseases to regional health challenges to vocational training to variation in medical practice to the very topical issue of caring for those who serve in the armed forces.

Local, national and international speakers will share their views and visions.

You will hear all about our wonderful speakers as they present their Sessions.  I refer you to the Conference Handbook for more details in the meantime.

I have a bit over 48 hours left as AMA President.

There will be an election for the new AMA President on Sunday morning.

There will also be an election for Vice President.

If they have not already done so, I am sure all the candidates will make themselves very well known to you over the next couple of days.

I would like to acknowledge the presence of some former AMA Presidents at this Conference. I’ll ask them to stand as I name them.

Would you please welcome:

• Dr Bryce Phillips, President from 1988-1990;
• Dr David Brand, President from 1998-2000;
• Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, President from 2005-2007, who is not with us this morning, but arriving later;
• A/Prof Rosanna Capolingua, President from 2007-2009; and
• Dr Andrew Pesce, President from 2009-2011.

The AMA is pleased and honoured to have with us some very special overseas guests.

As I read your name, would you please come forward to the stage for a gift from the AMA as a token of our appreciation for your attendance.

Please welcome:

• From the British Medical Association, Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran;
• From the New Zealand Medical Association, Dr Mark Paterson;
• From the Singapore Medical Association, Dr Tammy Chan and Dr Yeh Woei Chong;
• From the Thailand Medical Association, Professor Dr Teerachai Chantarojanasiri; and
• From the World Medical Association, Dr Margaret Mungherera.

These are some of the leading lights in world medicine - all in the one room, ladies and gentlemen.

You will hear more of their experience and leadership and ideas throughout the Conference.  Please go out of your way to have a chat.

Keynote Speaker – US Ambassador to Australia, Mr John Berry

It now gives me great pleasure to introduce our keynote speaker – His Excellency Mr John Berry, US Ambassador to Australia.

John Berry presented his credentials to Governor General Quentin Bryce on September 25, 2013, becoming the 25th U.S. Ambassador to the Commonwealth of Australia.

As Ambassador, he seeks to strengthen the U.S.-Australia alliance, which has served as an anchor of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world for more than sixty years; to increase bilateral trade and investment; and to deepen cultural, scientific and environmental cooperation between the United States and Australia.

Ambassador Berry’s distinguished public service career spans more than thirty years.

Prior to his nomination, he served as the Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management – the federal government’s “chief people person,” -- where he directed a workforce of nearly two million -– from April 2009 to April 2013.

Hiring of veterans and people with disabilities reached record highs under his leadership. 

From 2005 to 2009, Ambassador Berry served as Director of the National Zoo, which had been found to have shortcomings in management and maintenance.

He created a strategic plan focused on modernization of the zoo, prioritising fire protection and renovations of animal houses.

From 2000 to 2005, he was Director of the non-profit National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Between 1997 and 2000, Ambassador Berry served as Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget at the Department of the Interior, where he was both Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer for a Department of 66,000 employees.

From 1995 to 1997, he served as Director of Government Relations and Senior Policy Advisor at the Smithsonian Institution.

From 1994 to 1995, Mr Berry served as Deputy Assistant Secretary and acting Assistant Secretary for Law Enforcement in the U.S. Treasury Department, where he was responsible for 40 percent of U.S. federal law enforcement officers, including the Secret Service. 

Ambassador Berry is a native of Maryland and holds degrees from the University of Maryland and Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Public Administration.

He is the first openly gay U.S. Ambassador to serve in a G20 nation.  He and his long-time partner Curtis Yee wed in August 2013.

That is a very impressive c/v.  Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome John Berry.

Our next guest has had a very long week.

I am pretty sure he has been on the road non-stop since last Tuesday - explaining and selling the major health changes in the Federal Budget.

I think it is fair to say that the health changes have sparked a range of views, including in the medical profession.

Ladies and gentlemen, Peter Dutton has been immersed in health policy since 2008, when he was promoted to be Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing.

He has been immersed in politics much longer

He was elected as the Federal Member for Dickson in Queensland in November 2001 when, at the age of 30, he defeated Cheryl Kernot.

Peter was re-elected in 2004 and was appointed Minister for Workforce Participation. At the time of his appointment, Peter was one of the youngest Ministers since Federation.

In January 2006, Peter was promoted to Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer.

Following his re-election in November 2007, and with the change of Government, Peter was promoted to Shadow Cabinet as Minister for Finance, Competition Policy and Deregulation and, in 2008, he was further promoted to the Health portfolio.

On the 18th of September 2013, Peter was sworn in as the Minister for Health and Minister for Sport in the newly elected Abbott Government.

Peter is married to Kirilly and is the proud father of Rebecca, Harry, and Tom.

Please welcome the Minister for Health, Peter Dutton.

 ***Peter Dutton speaks for 20 minutes and may take questions

For every Minister, there is a Shadow Minister.

Making her first appearance at an AMA Conference is Shadow Minister for Health, Catherine King.

Catherine was first elected to Federal Parliament in 2001 to represent the electorate of Ballarat.

She was re-elected as member at subsequent Federal Elections in 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013.

Catherine was appointed Parliamentary Secretary in the portfolios of Health and Ageing and Infrastructure and Transport in the Gillard Government following the 2010 election.

The AMA had dealings with her on the TGA, Food Standards, and the Organ and Tissue Authority.

On 25 March 2013, Catherine was elevated to the roles of Minister for Regional Services, Local Communities and Territories and Minister for Road Safety in the Gillard Government. She was subsequently promoted to Cabinet on 1 July 2013, as Minister for Regional Australia, Local Government and Territories in the Rudd Government.

On 18 October 2013, Catherine was appointed to the role of Shadow Minister for Health in the Shadow Cabinet.

She has been very busy ever since, especially in recent weeks.

Please welcome the Shadow Minister for Health, Catherine King.

*****Catherine will speak for around 15 minutes, leaving time for questions from the floor

Ladies and gentlemen, the AMA National Conference would not be the AMA National Conference without Awards.

We have a couple of important ones to present now.

MJA, MDA National Prize for Excellence in Medical Research

We now have the pleasure of awarding the MJA, MDA National Prize for Excellence in Medical Research.

This is an award, and a cash prize of $10 000, for the best research paper published in the Medical Journal of Australia in the previous calendar year.

The winning paper for 2013 is entitled “Acute coronary syndrome care across Australia and New Zealand: the SNAPSHOT ACS study” by Derek P B Chew, John K French, Tom G Briffa, Christopher J Hammett, Christopher J Ellis, Isuru Ranasinghe, Bernadette J Aliprandi-Costa, Carolyn M Astley, Fiona M Turnbull, Jeff Lefkovits, Julie Redfern, Bridie Carr, Greg D Gamble, Karen J Lintern, Tegwen E J Howell, Hella Parker, Rosanna Tavella, Stephen G Bloomer, Karice K Hyun, and David B Brieger.

Although there are well-established guidelines for the management of patients with acute coronary syndromes, it is known that their implementation is not complete.

This landmark study was designed to provide insights into the factors affecting the optimal delivery of care for such patients.

The study consisted of a prospective clinical audit of all patients admitted with suspected acute coronary syndromes during a two week period in Australia and New Zealand.

More than 82 per cent of all hospitals receiving patients with this condition provided site survey data, and a total of 4398 patients were enrolled.

This resulted in a rich data set providing insights into the binational delivery of care.

Of note, the study authors found a consistently lower likelihood of receiving guideline-recommended therapies among patients originally presenting to non-principal referral hospitals.

Far from an indictment of such centres, the study highlighted some of the logistical challenges of coordinating care delivery, with more than 25 per cent of patients found to require transfer to another hospital for treatment.

The study also illustrated the complexity of the presenting patient cohort, with a highly prevalent and broad range of comorbidities described.

Although the study findings confirm there is an imperfect translation from evidence-based guidelines to actual care delivery, the MJA’s Content Review Committee recognised the importance and value of these data in enabling decision makers across all levels to identify barriers and to improve the quality of acute coronary syndrome care.

The authors are to be commended on the robustness of their study design, the clarity of its presentation, and the magnitude of its reach.  

MDA National has generously sponsored this prize and here on their behalf is Associate Professor Rosanna Capolingua, MDA National Mutual Board Member, along with Dr Christine Gee, Deputy Editor of the MJA.

Please welcome them to the stage. Rosanna and Christine will present the Award.

And I call on Professor Derek Chew to come forward to accept the Award on behalf of the research group, and to say a few words.

The AMA Indigenous People’s Medical Scholarship

Our next Award – and last for this morning – is one of my favourites.

As Chair of the AMA Indigenous Health Taskforce, I take a very strong interest in the AMA Indigenous People’s Medical Scholarship.

Established in 1994, the Scholarship aims to help increase the number of Indigenous doctors in Australia.

Valued at $9,000 for each year of study, the Scholarship provides support and encouragement for Indigenous students studying medicine.

The winner of the 2014 AMA Indigenous People’s Medical Scholarship is Wayne Ah-Sam.

Wayne is a proud Kalkadoon/Gungangdji man, whose communities are in the MT Isa/Cloncurry and Yarrabah regions.

Wayne is a father of four whose path to studying medicine goes back 20 years, when he started out as an Aboriginal health worker in the Northern Territory.

He knows the state of Indigenous health in this country through personal experience.

He has worked in eight different remote communities in the Territory, and in the Tiwi islands.

He knows poor health and inequality first-hand.

Wayne now wants to make a difference – as a doctor.

His long journey now has him in his second year of a Bachelor of Medicine degree at Newcastle University.

Wayne says he sees himself returning to country and going to where he is needed the most – somewhere in an Indigenous remote community back home.

I think Wayne will make a great doctor – and a great advocate.

Please congratulate Wayne Ah-Sam.

23 May 2014

CONTACT:        John Flannery                     02 6270 5477 / 0419 494 761

                            Odette Visser                      02 6270 5464 / 0427 209 753

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