NZMA history

The New Zealand Medical Association was formed more than a century ago. Its inaugural meeting was held in Otago in 1886. Ten years later, the Association became affiliated with the British Medical Association (BMA), and remained a branch of the BMA until 1967.

A year after regaining its independence, the NZMA received a grant of arms from Her Majesty's College of Arms. The shield shows the staff with the single serpent that represents the Rod of Aesculapius, the Greek God of Medicine, a fleam, which the medieval physician used to open veins for blood-letting, and the Southern Cross.

The Association's motto is Scientia et Concordia: Knowledge and Accord.

The NZMA retains strong links with the British, Australian and many other medical associations throughout the world. The NZMA is also a member of the World Medical Association.

Since its inception in 1886 the NZMA has been at the forefront of health sector advocacy.

NZMA timeline

1886	NZMA founded. The first meeting’s agenda included issue of unqualified vaccinators, the registration of midwives and new rule that made doctors ineligible to become coroners. The first President was Dr Thomas Hocken.
1887	First issue of the New Zealand Medical Journal published.
1896	A New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association was formed and the original NZMA disestablished. It was envisaged that affiliation with the BMA would increase influence and prestige of the NZ medical profession.
1898	First woman member of the NZMA signs up – Dr Emily Siedeberg. She later served as medical superintendent of St. Helen’s Hospital in Dunedin.
1939-45	NZMA finds advocacy and representation difficult as many of its members are overseas fighting in World War Two.
1941	Fee for service plan for GPs introduced – doctor paid five shillings for each consultation and illegal to charge additional fee.
1967	NZMA achieves total autonomy from BMA and is named Medical Association of New Zealand (later changed back to NZMA in 1976).
1980s	NZMA ceases to be a union.
1999	Pippa McKay elected first female NZMA Chair, and Dame Norma Restieaux appointed first female NZMA President.
2002	New Zealand Medical Journal becomes an online publication.
2011	NZMA celebrates 125 years as the pan-professional body representing doctors and their patients

NZMA presidents and chairs

New Zealand Medical Association

Year	President	Chair of Council
2017	Pippa Mackay	Kate Baddock
2016	Pippa Mackay	Stephen Child
2015	Branko Sijnja	Stephen Child
2014	Branko Sijnja	Mark Peterson
2013	Tony Baird	Mark Peterson
2012	Tony Baird	Paul Ockelford
2011	Aine McCoy	Paul Ockelford
2010	Aine McCoy	Peter Foley
2009	Ronald Goodey	Peter Foley
2008	David Kerr	Peter Foley
2007	Peter Roberts	Peter Foley
2006	George Downward	Ross Boswell
2005	Murdoch Herbert	Ross Boswell
2004	Ken Thomson	Tricia Briscoe
2003	Dennis Pezaro	Tricia Briscoe
2002	Peter Dukes	John Adams
2001	Tom Marshall	John Adams
2000	Roy Holmes	Pippa Mackay
1999	Dame Norma Restieaux	Pippa Mackay
1998	Sir John Scott	Anton Wiles
1997	Owen Prior	Brian Linehan
1996	Bert Insull	Brian Linehan
1995	Noel Roydhouse	Dennis Pezaro
1994	Anthony Foley	Dennis Pezaro
1993	Michael Shackleton	Alister Scott
1992	Keith Gibb	Alister Scott
1991	Jeremy Hopkins	Alister Scott
1990	Graham Gordon	Lewis King
1989	Graham Beale	Lewis King
1988	R. W. Hilliker	M. A. H. Baird
1987	M. H. Cooper	M. A. H. Baird
1986	A. R. Stone	J. M. Broadfoot
1985	M. G. Dunshea	J. M. Broadfoot
1984	N. G. Prentice	D. C. Williams
1983	J. P. Broad	D. C. Williams
1982	J. E. Rouse	J. D. P. Hopkins
1981	O. R. Nicholson	J. D. P. Hopkins
1980	B. J. Bowden	B. G. Jew
1979	W. J. Pryor	B. G. Jew
1978	K. E. Kibblewhite	Graham Gordon
1977	Randal Elliott	Graham Gordon
1976	H. H. Gilbert	W. J. Treadwell
The Medical Association of New Zealand
Year	President	Chairman of Council
1976	H. H. Gilbert	W. J. Treadwell
1975	N. C. Begg	W. J. Treadwell
1974	G. C. R. Hay	Maurice Matich
1973	K. R. Tyler	Maurice Matich
1972	A. C. A. Coombes	Randal Elliott
1971	A. Douglas	Randal Elliott
1970	K. J. Talbot	Lindsay Brown
1969	Graeme Talbot	Lindsay Brown
1968	W. J. R. Hutchison	Lindsay Brown
1967	N. F. Greenslade	Lindsay Brown
British Medical Association (New Zealand Branch)
Year	President	Chairman of Council
1966	A. P. S. Whyte	Lindsay Brown
1965	J. O. Merger	N. C. Rigg
1964	B. J. Bogarty	N. C. Rigg
1963	E. G. Sayers	J. R. Dawson
1962	W. P. P. Gordon	J. R. Dawson
1961	F. P. Furkert	J. R. Dawson
1960	D. C. Low	J. R. Dawson
1959	J. F. Landreth	Russell Thomas
1958	G. W. Gower	Russell Thomas
1957	P. P. Lynch	W. J. P. Hutchison
1956	J. A. Bottinger	W. J. P. Hutchison
1955	G. B. Fitzgerald	W. J. P. Hutchison
1954	P. Kahlenberg	W. J. P. Hutchison
1953	K. MacCormick	W. J. P. Hutchison
1952	F. A. Scannell	J. O. Merger
1951	L. G. L Averill	J. O. Merger
1950	E. H. M. Luke	J. O. Merger
1949	D. S. Wylie	J. O. Merger
1948	J. A. Jenkins	E. H. M. Luke
1947	T. G. Gray	E. H. M. Luke
1946	A. Eisdell Moore	E. H. M. Luke
1945	S. D. Rhind	E. H. M. Luke
1944	W. H. Unwin	J. P. S. Jamieson
1943	W. F. Buist	J. P. S. Jamieson
1942	T. C. Fraser	D. McGavin
1941	H. M. Wilson	D. McGavin
1940	A. Wilson	D. McGavin
1939	P. S. Foster	F. T. Bowerbank
1938	J. P. S. Jamieson	F. T. Bowerbank
1937	T. D. M Stout	G. F. V. Anson
1936	R. Hogg	G. F. V. Anson
1935	D. W. Carmalt Jones	T. F. Corkill
1934	D. S. Wylie	T. F. Corkill
1933	G. Home	T. D. M. Stout
1932	C. G. Aickin	T. D. M. Stout
1931	J. W. Williams	D. E. Fenwick
1930	Thos. Mill	D. E. Fenwick
1929	J. S. Elliott	D. McGavin
1928	Hugh Douglas	D. McGavin
1927	F. S. Batchelor	M. E. Gibbs
1926	S. A. Gibbs	M. E. Gibbs
1925	P. W. Hislop	J. S. Elliott
1924	Carrick H. Robertson	J. S. Elliott
1923	F. G. Gibson	W. E. Herbert
1922	Wm. Young	W. E. Herbert
1921	J. P. D. Leahy	W. E. Herbert
1920	H. Lindo Ferguson	E. W. Giesen
1919	W. K. Fyffe	E. W. Giesen
1918	H. Pollen	J. S. Elliott
1917	J. W. Crawshaw	W. Young
1916	W. E. Collins	W. E. Herbert
1915	William Irving	D. McGavin
1914	W. H. Parkes	J. S. Elliott
1913	H. R. Hatherley	Wm. Young
1912	H. V. Drew	J. R. Purdy
1911	T. C. Savage	J. R. Purdy
1910	J. R. Purdy	W. Fell
1909	T. C. Moore	W. Fell
1908	Thos. Cahill	W. Fell
1907	L. E. Barnett	W. Fell
1906	C. M. Anderson	W. E. Collins
1905	E. Roberton	W. E. Collins
1904	W. E. Collins	E. Roberton
1903	S. A. Gibbs	W. E. Collins
1902	D. Colquhoun	W. E. Collins
1901	G. R. Saunders	W. E. Collins
1900	W. Thomas	W. Fell
1899	W.G. Scott	W. Fell
1898	W. Fell	-
1897	G. Gleghorn	-
1896	J. Irving	-
New Zealand Medical Association
Year	President
1896	H. Lindo Ferguson
1895	E. Jennings
1894	W. I. Spencer
1893	A. O. Knight
1892	M. S. Grange
1891	L. G. Boor
1890	T.M. Hocken
1889	G. M. Anderson
1888	F. W. E. Dawson
1887	A. Johnston