Kia ora koutou and a warm welcome to 2026 to all members across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. I hope you have had the opportunity to rest over the summer break and have had an easy start to the year. Each new year brings renewed energy and focus, and 2026 holds additional significance as our College celebrates 80 years of being a specialist body for psychiatrists. We are very much hitting the ground running. 

Tomorrow, Wednesday 14 January, nominations open for five Elected Board Directors on the RANZCP Board for the 2026-28 term. This is a significant opportunity for Fellows to help shape a future-focused, high-performing and values-led College, and contribute to meaningful work across governance, digital systems, education and training, policy, advocacy and culture.

In my President’s Update on 5 December 2025, I reflected on what it means to serve as a Board Director. I have linked it above for those considering nominating and for all Fellows whose votes will determine how the elected Board reflects the breadth, diversity and expertise of our College community.  

Directors collectively hold ultimate accountability for the College’s performance, financial sustainability and reputation, and are expected to uphold the values of the RANZCP in all governance activities. The role requires rigorous preparation, active engagement, and a strong commitment to working collegially in the best interests of the College as a whole. It is a role with real influence where it supports the CEO to steward the organisation through complexity and change. 

Over the past several months, the Board has given careful and considered attention to its role, effectiveness and the responsibilities it holds in the future direction of the College. This work has informed both Board renewal and the ongoing development of the College’s Strategic Plan 2026–2030.  

Work on the Strategic Plan continues, with a deliberate focus on identifying clear, high-impact priorities for the College. This is not intended to be a glossy document that sits on a shelf. Rather, it is being developed as a practical, working framework that will guide decisions and work across the whole of the organisation. 

We are intentionally approaching this differently from traditional strategic planning: The aim is to create a plan that the Board, CEO, Executive, Members and College staff can actively work with so that we can track progress, test whether we are delivering what we said we would and hold ourselves collectively accountable over the life of the plan. In 2026, our emphasis will be on embedding this approach into how the College delivers on its core responsibilities. 

I am acutely aware of the pressures many members are working under across the two nations, with ongoing workforce pressures, system constraints and increasing demand. The work of this College rests on your commitment, professionalism and generosity, and this is precisely why improving the way the College functions must remain a priority.

A key focus for both the current and incoming Board is governance reform. Over many years, our governance structure has become increasingly complex, slow and difficult to navigate. These challenges have been consistently identified through Board evaluations, independent reviews, member feedback and recent Strategic Plan consultations. Importantly, governance reform has also been identified as a condition of Australian Medical Council accreditation for the delivery of specialist medical education and professional development programs.

This work is critical. Effective governance underpins everything the College does – how decisions are made, how risks are managed, how resources are allocated and how members’ time and expertise are respected. Without reform, we risk inefficiency, duplication, decision-making delays and frustration for members who generously contribute to committees, panels and working groups. This work is not new and will not be rushed. It reflects sustained consideration over recent months, careful assessment of risks and sequencing, and a shared commitment to doing this properly. In 2026, we will move decisively to put these reforms in place so the College can operate in a more responsive, transparent and contemporary way.  

Recently, we shared the early fruits of the New Fellowship Program Taskforce, chaired by Associate Professor Simon Stafrace. In 2026, the Taskforce will develop a high-level prototype of the new Fellowship training program including defining the vision, guiding principles, and overarching training structure (such as training duration, assessment types, and criteria for progression through training). While there will be broad consultation after the draft prototype is developed, initial consultation is now open via the Consultation Hub.  

For Affiliate members, a new pathway to Fellowship will be launched this year that recognises your sustained contribution and competence where it aligns with standards of Fellowship. A great deal of progress has been made on developing this pathway, and we will provide more details soon. 

As the year begins, membership renewal information will also be circulated. Being a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP) is more than a professional qualification - it is a marker of expertise, shared standards and belonging to a community committed to delivery of psychiatric care across public and private health systems.

As detailed in the recent Finance Spotlight Series, the Board remains committed to maintaining a financially robust College that can invest and grow member services, training programs and new initiatives to support members in the evolving mental health landscape. For 2026, the Board has approved a budget that reduces costs across the organisation to limit membership fee increases to Consumer Price Index (CPI), balancing fiscal responsibility with value for members.

There will be opportunities throughout the year for members to engage with and inform the work of the College. My commitment is to ensure that when we ask for your input, it is purposeful and genuinely shapes outcomes.  

I look forward to working with you throughout 2026 as we continue to build a College that is contemporary, connected and fit for the future. 

Stay well and stay connected, 

Dr Astha Tomar
President