Wednesday, May 22 2024 

Tonight more than 2600 members voted to support changes to the AMA Constitution at the Federal AMA’s Annual General Meeting. The vote was a landslide result with more than 95 per cent of members who voted giving a resounding yes to the proposed changes. This result demonstrates strong support for our strategic agenda ― one that has members at its heart and seeks to modernise and future proof our organisation.  

Our members spoke directly, and overwhelmingly, to the AMA; showing their support for the AMA, and the direction set by the Federal AMA Board and the Federal AMA leadership team.  

I’m particularly pleased in the turn out because these changes are about you, our members. They are about ensuring we remain a powerful and trusted voice for you, well into the future, and continue to achieve incredible results from our advocacy. They are about excellence in governance. And they are about supporting our smaller state and territory AMAs, most particularly our friends and colleagues in Tasmania.  

Tonight's vote means that Tasmania can progress to becoming a branch of Federal AMA. This is about ensuring our doctors in Tasmania can continue to be represented by their AMA. Tasmania’s decision to seek to become a branch of Federal AMA followed lengthy consultation with AMA Tasmania members who overwhelmingly supported the change.   

There are further steps to take at the Tasmania AMA Annual General Meeting next week and we will keep our members updated as decisions are made. But we are ready to continue working with our Tasmanian colleagues on achieving a seamless transition for Tasmanian members. 

Tonight’s yes vote on other resolutions also means our Constitution is now a fit-for-purpose forward-looking governing document.   

It means our Board, which will continue to have strong state and territory representation, can work as one ― striving to meet the AMA’s diversity commitments and achieving the necessary skills mix to meet regulatory and compliance requirements for corporations.   

The changes voted on at the AGM are about unity and future proofing our organisation ― an organisation that is one of the most trusted in the country ― one that achieves amazing results for members at every level of government. But importantly, an organisation that listens to our members and continues to strive to improve the healthcare system for them, and their patients.  

We recognise the power of unity and the strength that unity represents, and we acknowledge the power in having continued strong policy and advocacy efforts. The advocacy carried out federally on issues like Medicare, private health, regulation, hospitals and aged care really matters to our members.  

I will have more to say over the coming weeks and we will, of course, keep our Tasmania AMA members updated on changes that occur in coming weeks and months. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me at president@ama.com.au with any questions or feedback about changes to the Constitution.  

With gratitude to you all,  

AMA President Professor Steve Robson 

Read the amended Constitution