Fit for the next 10.
Almost 30 years ago, rural doctors came together to create a College that understood rural and remote medicine and could give rural doctors a strong voice. That spirit has shaped ACRRM ever since.
Our current Constitution was adopted in 2014. Since then, the College has grown. Our profession has evolved. Rural Generalist Medicine is now recognised as a speciality. The College's role in preventing disease and supporting better health outcomes for rural, remote and First Nations communities has expanded. The way we operate has changed too.
ACRRM has never stood still. Why should its Constitution?
We're proposing changes to the ACRRM Constitution to bring it up to date with the College we are today and the work ahead.
Members will vote in person at the AGM in Adelaide on 23 October 2026.
Your vote is your opportunity to have a say in the future of your College.
Read on to see what's being proposed.
Explanatory Memorandum for adoption of a new Constitution - August 2026
DownloadCorporations Act 2001, A Public Company Limited by Guarantee, Constitution, Adopted by the Members on 1 November 2014
DownloadWhat's changing?
More money into rural medicine
The proposed Constitution formally recognises ACRRM’s health promotion activities and its focus on preventing and controlling disease. This supports the College’s application for Health Promotion Charity status.
Leadership that doesn't reset every year
A new President-elect -> President -> past President succession model provides continuity and shared leadership responsibility.
Clearer, fairer membership pathways
Membership classes, rights and obligations will now be clearly defined within the Constitution itself, providing a transparent membership pathway from Student through to Fellow. If you currently hold voting rights, you will retain them, as the new Constitution protects the rights of existing members.
Your voice, written down
The proposed Constitution formally sets out the roles of the Board and College Council, supporting clearer decision-making and governance.
Before you vote
Download the Explanatory Memorandum which includes a clause by clause overview of the proposed Constitution and the reasoning behind each intended change.
How to vote
Voting happens in person, by show of hands, at the AGM in Adelaide on Friday 23 October.
If you can’t attend, you’ll also have the option to appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf.
Timeline
| Wednesday 2 September 2026 | Members notified of upcoming vote |
| September 2026 | Member webinar |
| Friday 23 October 2026 | In-person vote at the AGM in Adelaide |
| Friday 23 October 2026 | Members notified of the result and next steps |
How member consultation informed the proposed Constitution
Members were invited to provide feedback on the proposed changes to the Constitution during the consultation period from Monday 9 December 2024 to Friday 28 March 2025.
This feedback was collated and provided to the College Board for review and consideration.
Read the member feedback below and see how the Board has considered this feedback in the proposed Constitution.
It was considered not feasible to increase the representation of states and territories, as this would dramatically increase the size of the College Council.
In addition, the proposed draft includes amendments so that the Chair and Deputy Chair of College Council must be voting members (i.e. these positions cannot be filled by directors).
Under the proposed Constitution, only the President and President-Elect/Past President would be elected by members.
Other directors, including the Registrar Director, are not elected but appointed through a process which includes:
- nominations sought from Fellow Members (or Registrar Members in the case of the Registrar Director)
- review by the Nominations Committee of applications, including considering the skills and experience of the directors, the Board skills matrix, and may include interviews
- provides recommendations to College Council, or the Board for Board appointed directors.
This process facilitates the diversity of skills and experience required of a Board. It is appropriate for the appointment process for the Registrar Director to be the same as the other appointed directors, to allow for the necessary diversity of skills and experience.
The Terms of Reference of the Nominations Committee currently includes that a registrar is a member of that committee.
The proposed Constitution does not include the amendment suggested.
- More clarity about the requirement for registration of medical practitioners (in membership section);
- Amending membership classes to better reflect the pathways for members.
- The proposal to introduce the Associate Fellow class has been abandoned, and the Honorary Fellows Member reinstated;
- Changes to provide greater clarity throughout;
- Transition provisions to facilitate the transition to the new Constitution;
- Requirement that the College Council is consulted about by-laws relating to member rights and/or College Council;
College Council to include:
- a Registrar appointed by the Registrar Committee;
- an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander representative, appointed by the relevant committee or interest group;
- a representative of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia
The proposed Constitution includes the ability for the Board to appoint up to three directors with skills, expertise and experience which complement the Board’s diversity. This is consistent with good governance which requires that the Board has, collectively, a diversity of skills to enable proper oversight of the company. Apart from these three (who may themselves be members), all directors are required to be members of the College.
Amendments were also made to enable retired Fellows to be appointed as a College Council appointed director, or remain as a director after retirement. Although retired, these members can still make substantial contributions to the College. The process for selecting for required skills and experience will enable the majority of directors to be registered.
There is also a Registrar representative on College Council which, under the proposed Constitution is appointed by the Registrar Committee.
Member consultation webinar - recording
ACRRM held a consultation webinar for members to provide them with the opportunity to ask questions, seek clarification and raise concerns. Members can view the webinar recording below.
Recording: Constitution Consultation Session - Passcode: ?=Rn87ea
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
These FAQs are designed to support members’ most common questions relating to the Constitution. They are continuously updated to provide an up-to-date and valuable resource. If you have any questions that are not covered, or require further information, please contact Nikki Parker, Company Secretary at companysecretary@acrrm.org.au, or call 1800 223 226.
The proposed Constitution delivers meaningful improvements for members, the College, and the communities ACRRM serves:
For members: Membership classes, rights and obligations are clearly defined, giving you greater transparency at every stage of your career. Member-led governance is retained and strengthened. Members interested in leadership roles will benefit from clearer nomination and election processes.
For the communities we serve: Updated purposes that explicitly reflect ACRRM's focus on preventing and controlling disease in rural, remote and First Nations communities provide a stronger platform for advocacy on the issues that matter most.
For the College: The updated Constitution positions ACRRM as a modern, nationally recognised health promotion charity, aligning our governance with the expectations of the ACNC. This strengthens the College's credibility and capacity when pursuing funding, accreditation and partnership opportunities. It also introduces a more structured leadership succession model and term limits that encourage diversity and renewal at Board and Council level.
The vote on the proposed Constitution will be held at the AGM in Adelaide on 23 October 2026.
Eligible voters are members who hold an ordinary ACRRM membership. Ordinary membership types — which include Full Time, Part Time, Registrar, Resident or Intern, Extended Leave, International, and IMG Specialist Pathway — carry full voting rights. Members who have Life Fellowship or Life Membership are also eligible to vote.
Associate members (including Health Professional, IMG Associate, and Student members) do not hold voting rights and are not eligible to vote.
If you are unsure of your membership type, log in to MyCollege or visit the ACRRM membership page for more information.
What it does mean for you is a College that is better governed, more transparent, and more representative. Your voice carries more weight: members - not the Board - will decide on Director remuneration, and College Council will include dedicated representation for more member groups than before.
If you are unsure how the changes apply to your specific membership class, the Explanatory Memorandum sets this out in detail, or you can contact us at membership@acrrm.org.au
The Board remains committed to ensuring ACRRM's governance meets the evolving needs of the College and the expectations of regulators. If the vote is unsuccessful, the Board will consider the outcome carefully and determine the appropriate next steps, which may include further member consultation.
For this reason, the Board encourages all eligible members to read the supporting documents and attend the AGM to vote.
However, members who join after the new Constitution is adopted, or who change membership class, will have the rights that apply to their new class. For example, a member who retires after adoption will move into the Affiliate Member (Retired Fellow or Retired Member) category, which is non-voting — whereas a current Retired Member who already holds voting rights will retain them.
Every two years ACRRM’s voting members will elect a President-elect who will serve in the position for one year. The person elected will then transition into the President role for a two-year term, unless vetoed by the College Council. After serving as President, the individual may serve as past President if approved by the College Council.
If a President-elect is in office, and a determination is made for the President-elect not to transition to role of President, a President will be elected in accordance with the election procedures set out for the President-elect.
The President will hold office for a two-year term.
This model ensures effective planning, succession planning, leadership continuity and enables the substantial time commitment to be shared between either the President and President-elect, or the President and past President.
If the Constitution is adopted at the AGM, the current President will move to the role of past President immediately following the AGM. A President-elect will be elected in 2027.
Although the directors will be ex officio members of College Council, they will not have voting rights in College Council.
Yes, this amendment was made following member consultation and recognises the importance of registrars within ACRRM’s governance. The Registrar Committee will appoint one Registrar to College Council.
Health Promotion Charity registration unlocks benefits that go beyond those available to other registered charities, including:
Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status — donations made to the College would become tax deductible, making it more attractive for individuals and organisations to support ACRRM's work financially. This strengthens the College's capacity to fund advocacy, education and research into the future.
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemptions — the College may become eligible for FBT exemptions, which would translate into meaningful salary packaging benefits for ACRRM staff.
Together, these benefits support the College's long-term financial sustainability and strengthen its position when pursuing funding, accreditation and partnership opportunities on behalf of members and the communities we serve.