Australian Medical Association

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

17/02/2026

There has been a gradual decline in childhood immunisation coverage rates in recent years — but even a gradual decline has devastating consequences.

Australia has recorded its highest rates of whooping cough since monitoring started in 1991. Whooping cough can cause severe illness or death, and is especially dangerous to babies who are not yet immunised.

Targeted action to rebuild trust, improve access and increase vaccination rates across all communities is urgently needed.

Read the AMA's position statement on immunisation: https://www.ama.com.au/articles/ama-position-statement-immunisation-2025

13/02/2026

After years of advocacy, today’s decision to move towards mandatory Health Star Ratings on packaged foods is a significant win for Australians’ health.

The Australian Medical Association, VicHealth and The George Institute for Global Health welcome this long‑overdue reform, which will empower people to make healthier choices and bring consistency to food labelling across the supermarket.

We commend food ministers for taking this important and necessary step. 👏

10/02/2026

Haven’t booked your AMA26 ticket yet? Early-bird registrations are now on sale!
Join us on 28–29 August 2026 at the Pullman Melbourne on the Park as we explore Leading Change in a Connected World — inviting innovation, leadership and collaboration across our profession.
Register now 👉 https://ama.eventsair.com/ama26-national-conference?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=AMA26&utm_content=Buy%20tickets%20now&utm_term=AMA26

06/02/2026

MEDIA RELEASE: The Australian Medical Association welcomes the announcement that Healthscope hospitals will continue to operate, with the sale and transfer of six hospitals and the remaining 31 to operate under a new not-for-profit structure.

AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen labelled the plan — announced by receivers McGrathNichol — a good outcome for patients, Healthscope staff, doctors and private health insurers.

Read more: https://www.ama.com.au/media/ama-welcomes-plan-keep-healthscope-hospitals-running

06/02/2026

Australia's childhood immunisation rates have hit a 30-year low at 89.8 per cent — well below the 95 per cent target needed for community protection.

This is not just about numbers — lower vaccination rates mean increased risk of preventable disease outbreaks in schools and childcare settings. Diseases like measles, mumps, rubella, and whooping cough can lead to serious complications, hospitalisation, and in some cases, death.

Immunisation not only protects your child, but vulnerable members of our community who cannot be vaccinated.

If you have questions about your child's vaccination schedule or need to catch up on missed vaccines, speak with your GP. All essential childhood vaccines are provided free in Australia