The role of the Medical Board of Australia is to:

• Register medical practitioners and medical students
• Develop standards, codes and guidelines for the medical profession
• Investigate notifications and complaints
• Where necessary, conduct panel hearings and refer serious matters to Tribunal hearings
• Assess International Medical Graduates who wish to practise in Australia
• Approve accreditation standards and accredited courses of study.

AHPRA:

• Supports the National Boards in their primary role of protecting the public
• Publishes national registers of practitioners so important information about the registration of individual health practitioners is available to the public 
• Manages the registration and renewal processes for health practitioners and students around Australia
• Has offices in each state and territory where the public can make a complaint about a registered health practitioner or student 
• On behalf of the Boards, manages investigations into the professional conduct, performance or health of registered health practitioners, except in:
  • NSW where this is undertaken by the Health Professional Councils Authority and the Health Care Complaints Commission, and
  • QLD where this may be undertaken by the Queensland Health Ombudsman (from 1 July 2014 onwards)
• Works with the Health Complaints Commissions in each state and territory to make sure the appropriate organisation deals with community concerns about individual, registered health practitioners 
• Supports the Boards in the development of registration standards, and codes and guidelines, and
• Provides advice to the Ministerial Council about the administration of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme