(1967–1970) Roderick Macdonald (1970–1972) Gavin Johnson (1972–1973) Sir Keith Jones (1973–1976) Rupert Magarey (1976–1979) Lionel Wilson (1979–1982) Lindsay Thompson (1982–1985) Trevor Pickering (1985–1988) Bryce Phillips (1998–1990) Bruce Shepherd (1990–1993) Brendan Nelson (1993–1995) David Weedon (1995–1996) Keith Woollard (1996–1998) David Brand (1998–2000) Kerryn Phelps (2000–2003) Bill Glasson (2003–2005) Mukesh Haikerwal (2005–2007) Rosanna Capolingua (2007–2009) Andrew Pesce (2009–2011) Steve Hambleton (2011–2014) Brian Owler (2014–2016) Michael Gannon (2016–2018) Tony Bartone (2018–2020) Omar Khorshid (2020–2022) Steve Robson (2022–present) Other personnel Kerry Gallagher, secretary general (2007–2008) Francis J. Sullivan, secretary general (2008–2012) Ralph Howard, assistant general secretary (1964–1965) Coat of arms Positions The AMA has traditionally been a conservative (rather than progressive) body, often opposing change rather than lobbying for change within medicine. For example, the AMA released a press release in early 2019 claiming an "Advocacy breakthrough" which in fact was to "oppose changes" being considered under a wide-ranging review of the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Historically the AMA has tended to oppose "government interference in the practice of medicine" advocating on behalf of the service-providers (doctors) rather than the consumers (patients). The AMA has been recently criticised for accepting the Australian Federal Government's JobSeeker subsidy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia despite being profitable during 2020. Climate change The AMA acknowledges the scientific consensus that climate change is real and anthropogenic. In September 2019, the AMA officially declared climate change a public health emergency, stating that "The scientific reality is that climate change affects health and wellbeing by increasing the situations in which infectious diseases can be transmitted, and through more extreme weather events, particularly heatwaves." Tony Bartone, AMA President, noted that climate change will cause "higher mortality and morbidity from heat stress; injury and mortality from increasingly severe weather events; increases in the transmission of vector-borne diseases; food insecurity resulting from declines in agricultural outputs; a higher incidence of mental-ill health". The AMA has agreed with Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) that the healthcare sector in Australia should aim for a 80% reduction in emissions by 2030, but the AMA is still supportive of medical procedures with a poor evidence-base that could be considered wasteful and a source of excess emissions. The AMA has called on the Australian Government to: Adopt mitigation targets within an Australian carbon budget Promote the health benefits of addressing climate change Develop a National Strategy for Health and Climate Change Promote an active transition from fossil fuels