Proposed constitutional change - e-vote
03 July 2024
All fellows will be invited to participate in an e-vote for a minor amendment to the ANZCA Constitution that recognises the college's commitment to health equity.
Proposal
This vote proposes one change within the ANZCA Constitution to support the inclusion of a new object to the ANZCA Constitution by way of vote either in favour, against or abstain. The new object would read:
Contribute to achieving health equity for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori and Pacific Islander peoples in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, through a commitment to the process of reconciliation in Australia and the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Background
The ANZCA Constitution is the governing document that outlines the purpose and objects of ANZCA as a company limited by guarantee. The constitution enables ANZCA Council to manage the organisation in accordance with this document and the powers it provides to the council.
ANZCA’s purpose is to serve our communities by leading high-quality care in anaesthesia, perioperative and pain medicine, optimising health and reducing the burden of pain. In Evolving ANZCA’s strategy towards Indigenous health background paper, we acknowledge inequity in health outcomes is not only a social justice issue, but also a safety and quality issue.
Significant inequities in health outcomes exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Australia and New Zealand, reflecting that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, and Māori and Pacific Islander peoples in New Zealand, do not have access to appropriate health services, as well as the broader social determinants of health, in proportion to their needs. These health inequities are evident across a wide range of measures and include poorer surgical outcomes.
The college’s first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was launched in 2023 and details a comprehensive plan of over 90 deliverables that comprise the start of our reconciliation journey. Through our RAP, we seek to improve our organisation’s relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, whose leadership and expertise we recognise as being foundational to any efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. A working group comprising senior college staff and First Nations trainees and fellows meet quarterly to monitor progress.
In September 2023, ANZCA Council recognised Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a first step in the development of a Te Tiriti o Waitangi strategy for the college. The strategy will consider what actions ANZCA can take under each of the principles set out by the Waitangi Tribunal Health Services and Outcomes Inquiry (Wai 2575) and endorsed by the NZ Ministry of Health in its Whakamaua: Māori health plan 2020-2025.
The college is now progressing with implementation of a plan that sets out proposed New Zealand-specific actions that address our commitment to upholding the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi by:
- Striving to improve health outcomes for Māori through college action and advocacy.
- Ensuring college education and continuing professional development processes promote cultural safety.
- Increasing the numbers, retention, and career opportunities for Māori fellows and trainees.
- Promoting training on how to effectively act to redress racism and call out discrimination.
- Ensuring all college structures and processes are equitable and culturally appropriate.
Rationale for change
ANZCA Council has endorsed inclusion of a new object into the ANZCA Constitution that recognises ANZCA’s commitment to health equity. In addition to this, the college’s 2022 Australian Medical Council (AMC) and Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) reaccreditation included the following condition, due in 2024:
#5 Explicitly address in the college’s mission and educational purpose:
- A commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Māori and their health. A formal acknowledgement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Māori including addressing their perspectives in college governing documents, such as the strategic plan. (Standard 2.1.2)
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi, extending to the college’s vision, business activities and training programs. (Standard 2.1.2)
It is proposed that the current ANZCA Constitution is changed to specifically include a new object that addresses point (i) above that will also align with the colleges commitment to addressing health inequity
Have your say
On 24 July all fellows will be invited via ANZCA's third party e-vote provider (Election Runner) to participate in an e-vote for to support the inclusion of a new object to the ANZCA Constitution by way of vote either in favour or against. A majority of 75 per cent of fellows voting is required for constitutional amendments to be made, so please make your vote count on this important issue for ANZCA. The e vote will close on 7 August.
Please check that your email address is up to date to ensure they can vote on this very important matter. If possible, please nominate your personal email account, as we are aware that many hospital firewalls are set up to protect individuals or complex networks. Firewalls filter incoming and outgoing email-server traffic based on a set of rules determined by the firewall administrator.