Australian Medical Association

10/03/2026

AI is already reshaping healthcare — but how it is regulated, governed and trusted will define its impact.

At AMA26, hear directly from Professor Anthony Lawler, who will unpack the realities of AI, AI regulation, and misinformation in Australia’s health system.

Professor Lawler leads the group in the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing that oversees the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

He brings a rare national perspective on how innovation, patient safety and regulation intersect — and where the next challenges are emerging.

This is a must attend session for clinicians, leaders and policy makers navigating the future of healthcare.

📍 AMA26 National Conference | 28–29 August 2026 | Melbourne

Secure your place now 👉 https://tinyurl.com/585cuwky

08/03/2026

Rights. Justice. Action.
This International Women's Day, AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen is calling for a fairer health system for all women and girls.

07/03/2026

Rights. Justice. Action.
This International Women’s Day, the AMA is calling for decisive action to ensure women and girls can get the care they need, when and where they need it.

05/03/2026

Celebrating Women’s History Month: AMA member feature

Throughout March, the AMA is recognising women who have shaped — and continue to shape — the future of medicine in Australia.

Today we’re proud to highlight Dr Vida Viliunas, AMA ACT member and Canberra-based anaesthetist.

Dr Viliunas is widely regarded as a leader in Australian medicine — respected by senior policymakers, admired by colleagues, and deeply valued by medical students. As President of the Australian Society of Anaesthetists, she represents the profession at the highest national levels.

Her impact extends to medical education, having served as an examiner for 12 years with the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and as a former Chair of the Final Fellowship Examination.

Within Canberra’s medical community, Dr Viliunas is known for her mentorship and support of women in medicine.

“Women have a different experience of medicine — that’s undeniable. We need to gather together and be at the table, helping to chart the path forward,” she says.

A remarkable leader, advocate, and mentor — and a powerful example of the contributions women make to our profession every day.

04/03/2026

Dr Hussain Khan — a leading sports and exercise physician with the Australian men’s cricket team, the Hawthorn AFL club and Melbourne Victory will be among the high-profile speakers at AMA26 in Melbourne.

Dr Hussain Khan is a specialist sports and exercise medicine physician. He is the Head of Medical Department at Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre — the largest multidisciplinary sports and exercise medicine clinic in Australia with multiple campuses. Dr Khan is currently the Chief Medical Officer at Melbourne Victory Football Club, as well as a team physician for Hawthorn Football club AFL men’s team and one of the team doctors for Cricket Australia Men’s National team.

Dr Khan will join us for our Medical Leadership in High-Performance Environments panel, talking about leadership challenges in managing multidisciplinary teams, risk management and preventative care.

AMA members can take advantage of our limited early bird discount.

Find out more and register 👉 https://tinyurl.com/585cuwky

02/03/2026

Building on last year’s successful Mardi Gras Festival, Saturday marked the second time the Australian Medical Association has proudly marched in the parade.

The AMA is proud to support the LGBTQIASB+ community, and taking part in the Sydney Gay and Le***an Mardi Gras is a meaningful extension of our ongoing advocacy for equity, diversity and inclusion in healthcare.

A big thank you to the AMA members and staff who marched down Oxford Street on Saturday and helped make it another fantastic event.

Special thanks as well to Scrubs with Love for donating the fabulous rainbow medical scrubs. 🌈

27/02/2026

Following our inaugural appearance at last years Mardi Gras parade, we secured a parade spot again, providing a powerful opportunity to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to inclusive, respectful, and high-quality healthcare for LGBTQIASB+ people, including our members, colleagues, and patients.

Our 2026 float, Ecstatica Practitiona — Proud to Care, celebrates both the joy of community and the vital role doctors play in supporting health and wellbeing for all.

AMA participants will parade in rainbow-coloured medical scrubs, generously donated by Scrubs with Love, symbolising pride in our profession and solidarity with the communities we serve.

Keep an eye out for our float either at the parade or on the ABC TV tomorrow at 7.30pm. 😍🌈🩺

25/02/2026

Still on the fence about attending AMA26? Hear from our very own Public Health Committee Chair, Dr Michael Bonning, about why the AMA National Conference is an unmissable event for doctors.

Register now and save up to 25 per cent with our early bird deal: https://www.ama.com.au/ama-national-conference-2026

24/02/2026

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗠𝗔𝟮𝟲 𝘆𝗲𝘁? 🎟️

This is your reminder to register for the AMA's National Conference now to save up to 25 per cent on a two-day pass.

The early-bird special is available to AMA members and runs out on 30 April 2026. Be sure to book now so you don't miss out on savings!

The AMA26 National Conference will be held on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 August 2026 at Pullman Melbourne on the Park.

AMA26 will feature industry-leading speakers, thought-provoking discussions and ample networking opportunities. This year's conference will incorporate a range of sessions including research abstracts, keynotes, AMA business and workshops, all aligning to our AMA26 conference theme of Leading Change in a Connected World.

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲: https://www.ama.com.au/ama-national-conference-2026

23/02/2026

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿: 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄

On April 15, AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen will address the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra, calling for genuine reform to strengthen healthcare from the ground up.

Despite its global reputation, our system is under strain — rising chronic disease, barriers to care, mounting pressure on the private sector, and declining public hospital performance are taking their toll.

Dr McMullen will make the case for moving beyond politically convenient band‑aids and toward long‑term, structural reform that puts patients first.

🎟️ 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆: https://npc.org.au/events/dr-danielle-mcmullen

20/02/2026

This new analysis in The Conversation Australia + NZ backs up what doctors and patients have been saying for years: to truly address out-of-pocket costs for specialist care, we must make Medicare fees fairer.

The authors describe the years-long Medicare Benefits Schedule freeze as a "fundamental failure", because it allowed rebates to fall well behind the real cost of providing care.

When MBS fees don’t keep pace with the cost of running a practice — rent, staff, equipment, training, compliance and the time doctors spend with patients — pressure inevitably shifts onto patients through higher out‑of‑pocket costs.

The authors make a clear case for reform: Medicare fees must be calculated based on the real‑world costs of delivering care and indexed annually so they keep pace with inflation and advances in medical technology. Without this, Medicare will continue to act as a small discount, rather than a genuine guarantee of affordable access to specialist care.

Knowing in advance what your specialist will charge is a good step forward. But we need fairer fees to start with.

18/02/2026

𝗔𝗠𝗔 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹'𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 💊

Antibiotics are one of the most important inventions in human history — but their effectiveness is under threat.

The Australian Centre for Disease Control's new report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) makes for sobering reading. It warns that AMR could play a role in an estimated 8.22 million deaths globally by 2050, with 1.91 million deaths directly attributable to resistant infections.

The report echoes the many findings of the AMA's own report on AMR, including that AMR is one of the world's most urgent public health threats.

The AMA has long called for urgent action to address this silent killer. If we don't act now, Australia risks returning to the medical dark ages, where common infections and minor injuries can become life-threatening.

The AMA cautions against policy decisions that could worsen the problem, such as expanding prescribing rights to non-medical professionals without appropriate safeguards. While antibiotics are vital to modern medicine, they must be prescribed carefully and responsibly.

Read the CDC report: https://www.cdc.gov.au/newsroom/news-and-articles/national-snapshot-antimicrobial-resistance-and-use-released

Read the AMA report: https://www.ama.com.au/antimicrobial-resistance