As AHPRA’s powers continue to grow, a subcommittee of the AMA Victoria council wants to see a formal public inquiry into the regulator.

Members will decide whether to progress AMA Victoria’s motion to request a formal public inquiry into the regulator at the national conference next week in Sydney. 

The proposed motion comes from the AMA Victoria compliance advisory group and was approved by the state AMA council and board to be taken to the national conference.

In June, AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia ordered WA GP Dr David Berger to complete additional training on “behaving professionally and courteously to colleagues and other practitioners” on social media. 

TMR understands that the conditions placed on Dr Berger’s registration were related to Twitter posts in which he criticised government easing of pandemic restrictions. 

Dr Berger declined to speak to TMR and other media on this matter, but colleagues – including former AMA WA president Dr Andrew Miller and MJA editor-in-chief Professor Nick Talley – have publicly spoken out against AHPRA’s decision. 

Other prominent clinicians like Professor Raina MacIntyre, Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska and occupational hygienist Kate Cole have since added to the chorus, co-signing an open letter to federal, state and territory health ministers in support of Dr Berger.

At the time of writing, more than 1500 doctors, healthcare workers and other members of the public had co-signed the letter.