July Update From President's Desk

Only two months until the ISRRT World Congress starts on 9 September on the Gold Coast.  It is very satisfying to see this event coming together and to be able to see strong support from Australia and New Zealand and good representation from around the world.  There are many papers on offer which I and my fellow Board Members are keen to hear, and as always at these events catch up with friends and make new contacts.  If you have not already organised to attend I would urge you to make your arrangements, this is a great opportunity for our profession.

There are many activities happening at present for the AIR.  The Board is able to report that at time of writing, we continue to seek a new location of our offices in Melbourne.  The Board has requested that the new offices make available space to properly display the historical memorabilia of the AIR, our extensive library and offer visitors to the office useful internet and library facilities, as well as capacity to store members' bags while they are in the city.  We have planned to acquire these new offices without any recourse to members or incurring any borrowings.  It is the strategic goal of the Board to have a building which reflects our association in a very positive and professional manner.

Members will have been making their annual subscription membership renewals on-line and through the new database portal.  Getting these systems planned and operational has taken much energy and attention in the first half of this year and are, as I have previously indicated, the forerunner of on line activity that is yet to come.  The background work for all of the member benefit aspects of the new database are coming together well and although the testing and trialling takes time, I am confident that by the end of the year members will be part of a very different AIR world. 

We have received very pleasing news from the ISRRT that the Canadian Society (CAMRT) has been considering emulating the AIR example of members being Associate Members of ISRRT.  They have passed this resolution at their annual conference and this represents significant support for our profession and our members at a global level. Some collateral benefits will flow back to AIR members through a reduction in the ISRRT Associate member fee component in the annual fee due to the electronic distribution of the ISRRT Newsletter commencing in 2011. 

We have an extraordinary range of professional issues under consideration at present, covering the range of practice for limited licence operators, practitioner assistants, the intern year, role extension issues and advanced practice.  Throughout the AIR we have members on panels addressing these topics in many ways; through involvement in focus groups, by working on submissions, through participation on working groups, and preparing papers and other responses at many different levels.  It is a measure of the strength of our profession and the participation of our members that we are able to take on so many and such a diverse range of tasks.  I thank each and every one of you for your continued commitment and involvement in raising our profile, allowing us to make positive contributions to our profession and the health of patients.  

Tim Way
President