A New Way Forward
 An historic determination by two
national organisations, The Australian Chiropractors’ Association
(ACA) and the United Chiropractors Association of Australasia Ltd,
(UCAA) led to their official merger on 1 December 1990.
The inaugural meeting of the Chiropractors’ Association of
Australia was called to order at 9am on Sunday 23 September 1990 and
until the first Annual General Meeting took place, Dr Ed Devereaux,
President of the UCAA and Dr Paul Searle, President of the ACA were
appointed Co-Chairman.
As the then Executive Director, Dr John Sweaney wrote in his first
report, “The establishment of this new professional association
provided the ideal opportunity to assess the profession’s
strengths and weaknesses, to consider a new image and to design a
comprehensive strategic plan for the future.”
The CAA National and the CAA State and Territory Associations pledged to
work together in the best interests of the members through the signing
of new Memorandam and Articles of Association and the Deed document.
It is interesting to reflect on the growth of our Association as a
corporate body over the past 20 years. The first financial report on CAA
National was for the year ended 30 June 1991. At the time of
amalgamation in December 1990, the combined assets of UCAA and the ACA
amounted to $330,147. At the end of the first financial year of CAA
National, members’ equity was $506,432. Total income for the year
was $508,355 and total expenses amounted to $399,410.
Compare this to CAA National at the end of our 2009 financial year
– total members’ equity was $3,536,380. Total income was
$2,919,971 and total expenses amounted to $2,672,387.
Over the last 20 years the profession’s leaders have streamlined
the role and functions of CAA National.
The range and amount of activities the Association undertakes has
steadily increased over the years through the support of its membership.
The Board now governs the affairs of the Association guided by a well
focussed Strategic Plan which is aimed at the realisation of the Vision
Statement, Core Values of chiropractic and the Core Purposes of the CAA.
This strategic direction has increased the focus on research, health
policy and raising the profile of chiropractic through public education
and promotion.
With the growth of CAA National the responsibility of Directors has also
increased, as has their voluntary work-load. The original CAA National
Board consisted of seven Directors. Our current board has nine Directors
with the capacity to increase to a board of 12 and to include
non-chiropractors. The Directors undertake an annual self-assessment and
have been upskilled in corporate governance and strategic planning.
As the years have passed CAA National has increased its nonsubscription
income from $249,880 in 1991 to $1,076,00 in 2009. Added to this income
is substantial bank interest generated from investments of $218,190 in
2009 despite the global financial situation.
This has enabled the CAA to play a major role in many significant
achievements during the past 20 years including securing registration of
chiropractors in all states and territories of Australia and the
establishment of three fully funded tertiary level courses for the
education and training of chiropractors.
Chiropractic services were included under workers’ compensation
laws and motor accident legislation in most states and chiropractic was
made available to veterans through the Federal Department of Veterans
Affairs. Health insurance funds provided rebates for chiropractic and
patients with chronic conditions became eligible through the enhanced
primary care program to receive limited chiropractic care under Medicare
Plus.
Some of our lobbying efforts which were substantial back in 1990 are
still continuing – gaining recognition of sports chiropractic,
chiropractic care for serving defence personnel, rights to refer to
specialists, rights to request certain pathology etc – but we have
not given up.
We have gone a long way forward in political lobbying and effecting
change in health policy since we published the CAA’s Fightback
Document in response to the AMA’s paper on chiropractic in March
1993. This was an important document in its time and laid the foundation
for us to move forward and broaden our political advocacy role.
CAA National has grown its relationships with allies and stakeholders. A
milestone was the acceptance of CAA National into the peak body
representing allied health in Australia which continues to open doors
for chiropractors. The COAG national registration and accreditation
scheme has also increased the recognition of chiropractors as an
important, integral part of health care in Australia. Through the
stakeholder consultation processes the CAA National has forged valuable
links and alliances with all health care stakeholders.
What is evidenced over the last 20 years is the valuable contribution
individual chiropractors have played in moving their profession forward.
There are many who have elected to play a keen role at state and
national board levels, through special interest groups, portfolios and
taskforces. There are others who have effected change purely through
working in their clinics and providing optimum care to their patients.
But the connecting thread has been the individual chiropractor’s
passion for chiropractic through the knowledge of how chiropractic can
improve, maximise and maintain the health and wellbeing of the
individual.
Long may that passion continue – because it is not over yet!
The Chiropractors' Association of
Australia
20 Years Young in 2010
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