AMA President Highlights IMG Workforce, Medicare Reform and Vaccination Campaign

AMA President Highlights IMG Workforce, Medicare Reform and Vaccination Campaign

01 May 2026

The President is currently in Nelson Bay in New South Wales meeting IMGs at a regional masterclass, highlighting their important role in Australia’s health system. IMGs make up a significant part of the workforce, including 53% of doctors in rural areas and 43% of general practitioners nationwide.

The AMA also released an updated position statement on IMGs, calling for simpler and fairer pathways to registration, along with better funding for supervision and training to support long-term careers in Australia.

Discussions were also held with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency about complaints handling and recent legal changes related to public reporting of tribunal findings. The AMA stressed the need for fairness and proportionality in how information about practitioners is made public.

The President also criticised recent public comments about doctors’ fees, saying rising patient costs are driven by broader system issues such as low Medicare rebates, outdated funding structures, and pressure on public hospital services. The AMA continues to promote its “Gaps that Create the Gaps” resources and updated Medicare gap materials.

On public health, the AMA has launched its “Have the Jab Chat” campaign to encourage Australians to speak with their doctors about vaccinations. The campaign highlights the importance of trusted medical advice amid rising misinformation online and ongoing outbreaks of infectious diseases, including diphtheria and measles.

The AMA says doctors remain a key source of safe, evidence-based immunisation guidance tailored to individual patient needs.

https://www.ama.com.au/
 

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