Meeting of voting delegates of the AMA National Conference

Each year, appointed voting delegates to the AMA National Conference gather to raise health policy issues to be considered as possible AMA national policy. The 9am-11am Sunday 31 July National Conference session will enable the 160 voting delegates of the 2022 National Conference meeting either in person or online to move and debate health policy motions. Time permitting, voting delegates will be able to speak for 2 minutes on their “Soap Box” about any issue relevant to the AMA. The morning’s session will also admit nominated members into the AMA Roll of Fellows, and name the winner of the MJA 2022 Award.  

Agenda

9am 

Call to order, Conference Chair, A/Prof Julian Rait 

9.05am to 10.15am 

Policy Motions for consideration of National Conference 

 

Motions for consideration of Conference will be listed below as received, and subsequently prioritised in order for debate by the Conference Chair before 31 July.  

Each motion for debate will be limited to approximately twenty minutes, with up to three speakers in support and three against to speak for two minutes each. The Chair will exercise discretion in managing time allocated to each motion to enable as many to be heard as possible. Policy motions not able to be debated in time allocated will proceed to Federal Council for future consideration. Voting on each motion will be conducted by electronic ballot of 160 voting delegates present in person or online.  

 

 

Policy motion:

Royal Commission into AHPRA 

Because of AMA Victoria’s perceived abject failure of the recent Senate Review of AHPRA to address the multiple areas even remotely in which AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia are dysfunctional and requiring urgent, major reform, other than the recommendation re the Western Australian model for mandatory reporting, National Conference calls upon AMA Ltd to take all such actions that will convince the Government to hold a Royal Commission into AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia.

Moved: Dr Mukesh Haikerwal Seconded: Dr Paddy Dewan

Support information can be found by clicking here. 

 

 

Policy motion: 

Future of General Practice  

That this conference recognises urgent action is required to ensure General Practice has a future in Australia. Currently, we have GP practices closing their books to new patients, GP vacancies that cannot be filled across practices, GPs retiring and fewer GP registrars entering the system. Where there is private market failure, the state must step in to help. This conference calls upon the Australian Government to:

  1. Re-instate telehealth provider numbers which enable patients to access appropriate medical care in the comfort of their home and recognises the importance of the use of technology in delivering healthcare into people’s homes.
  2. Commit to increasing the Medicare rebate each year in line with inflation
  3. Support a single-employer model for GP registrars to ensure they are financially supported in their training comparable to those who remain in the hospital training environment.
  4. Review the Modified Monash Model’s application across rural and regional Australia, including the entirety of Tasmania

Moved: Dr Annette Barratt Seconded: Dr Helen McArdle

 

 

Policy motion: 

Rural Health Data 

That our AMA calls for the reinstatement of a government funded but independent national medical workforce agency to provide consistent and evidence-based advice on medical workforce supply and demand, future workforce requirements, skilled immigration requirements and the number and distribution of training places; and a review of the way data is collected to determine the number of GPs by head of population.

Moved: Dr Marco Giuseppin Seconded: Dr Ian Kamerman

Support information can be found by clicking here. 

 

 
  Five other motions were submitted for debate. Time constraints prevents these five being debated at National Conference. The new Federal Council will consider each of the five policy motions at its next meeting.
   

10.15am (approximately)  

Soap Box (if time permits) 

Two-minute speeches from voting conference delegates on any matter. 

 

 

10.30am 

Admission to AMA Roll of Fellows 

Details of members for admission will be updated when approved by Federal Council.  

 

 

10.50am 

MJA 2022 Award 

 

 

11am 

Morning Tea 

In the final session of the AMA National Conference, the outgoing AMA President will report on outcomes of advocacy for the profession during his term. The AMA Board Chair will report on the activities of the AMA. Candidates for the AMA Presidency will outline their vision for the AMA and its members prior to the conduct of the ballot to elect the new President and Vice President. Please click here for more information on the candidates for the AMA President and Vice President. The AMSA President will give the annual AMSA address as ballots for the election are counted. When the election result is known, the incoming AMA President will make their inaugural address. 

11.30am 

Call to order, followed by address of the AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid  

 

 

11.55am 

Address of AMA Ltd Board Chair, A/Prof Rosanna Capolingua 

 

 

12.10pm 

Address and questions of candidates for AMA Presidency  

 

 

12.45pm 

Electronic ballot of 160 voting delegates to elect AMA President for 2022-24 

 

 

12.50pm 

Address and questions of candidates for AMA Vice Presidency 

 

 

1pm 

Address of the Australian Medical Students Association President Ms Jasmine Davis 

 

 

1.10pm 

Declaration of elections and address of incoming AMA President 2022-2024 

 

 

1.15pm 

Conference close 

This agenda will be updated and amended as required.