AMA Calls for More Specialist Training Places and Action on Healthcare Costs
05 Nov 2026
In his first week as Federal AMA President, Dr Michael Bonning highlighted the need for more specialist doctors and better planning to meet growing demand for healthcare services.
The AMA’s submission to a parliamentary inquiry found that Australia does not have enough specialists to meet patient needs. It warned that the workforce gap could become wider without action.
The organisation is calling for more specialist training places, increased support for regional and rural training pathways, and better national workforce planning.
However, increasing the number of medical graduates alone will not fix the shortage. Limited accredited specialist training places and consultant positions are also creating barriers. State AMA branches are calling for more specialist roles in public hospitals. AMA NSW, for example, is seeking 1,000 additional specialist positions.
The AMA is also calling for consistent national reporting of public outpatient waiting times. Current reporting does not fully capture the time patients spend waiting between a GP referral and an assessment by a non-GP specialist.
On specialist fees, the AMA says governments must consider several factors, including Medicare rebates, workforce shortages, limited public outpatient services and the role of private health insurers in determining patient costs.
Dr Bonning and Vice President Dr Sarah Whitelaw are scheduled to discuss these concerns with Health, Disability and Ageing Minister Mark Butler next week.
The AMA also raised these issues at the Medical Software Industry Association Summit 2026. Dr Bonning discussed the role of digital tools, including electronic prescriptions, clinical decision support systems and AI medical scribes. He also highlighted concerns about software systems that do not work well together and the challenges created by rapidly changing technology.
Another key issue this week was the growing use of unapproved peptides. Dr Bonning spoke to ABC outlets in Melbourne, Canberra and Perth about the potential dangers of these products.
The AMA warned that the full range of risks is not yet known. It has also raised concerns about people obtaining peptides through unofficial markets, often after seeing them promoted on social media. Some users have experienced serious side effects, hospitalisation and, in certain cases, permanent health problems.
The AMA’s new Federal Council is meeting this weekend to discuss issues affecting the medical profession, including vertical control in the private health insurance sector and an upcoming report on antimicrobial resistance.
AMA Calls for More Specialist Training Places and Action on Healthcare Costs
Source: Australian Medical Association (AMA) – President’s Update