News
President’s Blog: Proposed amendments to AMA Federal’s Constitution
Tuesday May 7, 2024
AMA Federal (with whom we currently seek to re-establish a formal relationship) has called its Annual General Meeting for late May. As part of the AGM, its members have been asked to consider Constitutional amendments. We were previously advised by AMA Federal that it would not be able to meet us to negotiate AMA (WA)’s return to the Federation until after its AGM, so that it could focus on its constitutional changes.
The constitutional changes, if approved by the membership (which does not currently include WA-based AMA members), would enable AMA Tasmania to effectively become a branch of AMA Federal, as has been the expressed desire of AMA Tasmania’s members. We fully support the right of AMA Tasmania’s members to decide on what is right for their circumstances, and sincerely hope that AMA Federal can provide them the same level of local service and advocacy as an independent State or Territory AMA.
Given that AMA Tasmania has stated that it has no pressing financial or membership problem, that AMA Federal regards these constitutional changes as more urgent than resolving its situation with AMA (WA) is of course disappointing. Indeed, it has been urged by other State and Territory AMAs to hold off on non-urgent constitutional reform until the federation is back together and AMA (WA) is back in the room.
The proposed constitutional changes themselves have caused concern amongst State and Territory AMAs, as they enable AMA Federal to establish its own State and Territory branches. We hope and expect that the current Board and Management of AMA Federal would act responsibly with respect to the sovereignty of the remaining independent State and Territory AMAs, as they have stated they will. But constitutions must be conservative and cautious, foreseeing all possible future scenarios, including the possibility of a board and management with an expansionist agenda. A future Federal AMA could use its constitutional power to set its fees, without consultation with the State and Territory AMAs, in a way that creates an untenable relationship, then establish its own State Branch in competition with the local AMA.
Again, I do not suggest that this is the intention of the current board and management of AMA Federal. It will be up to the remaining members to decide whether the final proposed amendments provide sufficient comfort to the States and Territories. Furthermore, if the amendments are approved at AMA Federal’s AGM in late May, we will be asked to rejoin an AMA Federal with a different Constitution from when we were exited, without having had any input or vote on the new version.
Whilst these issues do not diminish our desire to reach a mutually satisfactory arrangement for rejoining the federation, we await the outcome with great interest.
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