AVA WA Division President January Update

Happy New Year everyone, I hope you’ve had the opportunity to have a rest, although I realise this may have not been possible for many of us. We all know how important it is to take some time off, so please do your best to carve out some time to spend with your loved ones when you get an opportunity.

I’d like to begin by thanking all of you who have been working tirelessly, but especially those of you who work in our emergency centres or provide after-hours services. I know it has been a busy time for you as we deal with unprecedented demand and ongoing staffing shortages. The general community is aware of your efforts, and the feedback to recent media coverage on this topic has been overwhelmingly positive.

Welcome aboard to our new WA Division Committee members Dr Katy Davis and Dr Emily Bull. The committee now consists of myself as Division President, Dr Katie Kreutz as President-elect, Dr Sue Beetson, Dr Olivia Brabant, Dr Rick Fenny, Dr Jackie Robb and Dr Sherrilynn Wakefield. Thanks must go to Dr Ron Schneider and Dr Mark McDonald who have stepped down after completing their terms.

As a profession, we are still facing chronic workforce issues. The WA Division has been lobbying government at all levels to take action to address these, but it has been hard to get real traction. I hope to get these issues on the agenda of our new Agriculture Minister, Jackie Jarvis MLC, as soon as possible.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. This year will be another big one for the WA Division and our branches. We are busy planning a full calendar of continuing education, social events and advocacy activities. If you have any suggestions please reach out and we will do our best to accommodate them.

As always, if you are facing any issues or see any opportunities for improvement across our profession, please reach out to me directly at any time via phone (0404 858 639) or email (garnetthall@gmail.com).

Cheers,

Garnett Hall
AVA WA Division President