“After a proud record of service to the New Zealand medical community and to the country as a whole since 1886, the membership of the New Zealand Medical Association have voted to liquidate,” says NZMA Chair, Dr Alistair Humphrey.
Votes were cast at an Annual General Meeting held today by those in the room, and by proxy. There were 380 votes for the motion to liquidate, and 66 votes against.
The resolution was recommended unanimously by the NZMA Board, due to the Association’s declining financial position.
“Serial NZMA Boards and staff have made many attempts over the last few years to come up with a way to save the Association – to pare back, to undertake a merger, to raise revenue or trim costs somewhere or another.
“Despite their best efforts, the financial position has become more and more precarious – which was brought to a head by COVID.
“The reality now is that this Board and this Chair have to convey the heart breaking news to the members: the New Zealand Medical Association is coming to an end.
NZMA is the producer and custodian of several important assets that will need to be carried on by other organisations - including, the New Zealand Medical Journal, the Code of Ethics, the Benevolent Fund and New Zealand’s membership of the World Medical Association.
“We are now calling for Expressions of Interest from those who are willing and financially able to form the governance of a new organisation, which we hope to establish exclusively to publish the New Zealand Medical Journal. The Journal will remain editorially independent.
A final vote to liquidate will now be put to members at a Special General Meeting to confirm the resolution in early July.
“I commend Acting CEO Esther Munro for the quality of the paper she presented to the Board, clearly outlining the Associations options and relative merits and constraints on each. The Board appreciated the effort, attention to detail, and thoroughness of the report.
“I want to thank members for their dedication to the medical profession and to the NZMA over many years,” said Dr Humphrey.
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