The AVJ is fast running low on its supply of suitablepictures for publication on the front page each

month. Since taking its current format almost three yearsago, the journal has relied on the goodwill of a handful ofwildlife artists and vets who also paint wildlife, to supplyphotographs or colour slides of their paintings for use onthe cover. February saw this tradition broken when a spec-tacular photograph of Antarctic penguins, supplied by anAVA member, was published on the cover - to widespreadacclaim. Any reader who has suitable cover material - qual-ity paintings of wildlife or high-standard animal pho-tographs - is asked to contact the Editor on: Tel) 02 94112733 Fax) 02 9411 5089 or Email) editor@ava.com.au Allcover pictures used are reproduced within the AVJ with afull credit to the artist or photographer involved.

Aust Vet J Vol 77, No 4, April 1999210

News

This issue of the AVJ carries a prelim-inary notice in respect of the stagingof the Annual General Meeting of

the AVA - to be held next month.Commentary on a motion to increase thehonorarium paid to the AVA President wasin the December 1998 AVJ (page 711).Commentary on other motions received todate:

AVA Membership Subscription for 2000 As a result of the AVA’s strong financial

position - and in recognition of the needto ensure that membership of theAssociation remains affordable - the Boardproposes that the National MembershipSubscription for 2000 should remain atthe 1999 level.

Honorary Associate Membership The Board proposes that the

Constitution be amended in order toenable the election (as HonouraryAssociates) of eminent professional, politi-cal and scientific persons who may conferhonour on - or advance the interests of -the Association. The proposal is based onthe experience of the British VeterinaryAssociation (BVA), which has found thatHonorary Associate members becomefriends of the Association and becomevaluable ambassadors and lobbyists on itsbehalf. Often their presence - to chairmeetings at the conference - enhancesmedia coverage. The BVA has carefullyselected politicians or prominent industryfigures (with an interest in animals) whooccupy, or are expected to occupy, posi-tions of community influence. It is intend-ed that the election of Honorary

Associates would be highly selective andthat they would be very limited in num-ber.

Special Membership Subscription for2000

As a means of encouraging non-mem-bers to join the AVA and lift our member-ship rate from 57% to our target of 75%,it is proposed by the Board that (new)applicants for full membership for 2000be permitted to join at a special Nationalrate. The actual rate will be determined bythe Board after this issue of the AVJ goesto press. It will be a very limited once-only-offer and will end by 31 January2000. This motion is to be put to theAGM in the form of special amend-ment(s) to permit the discounted rate, asrequired by the AVA Constitution.

Motions for AGM debate

The AVA’s survey late last year of members’ views onexisting arrangements for the Annual Conference has

found the vast majority of respondents were relatively satis-fied with the status quo. The survey achieved a very goodlevel of response - 347 replies were received. The number ofdocuments to be processed and cross-referenced delayedpublication of the findings. Board member, Dr Ian Denney,carried the task of analysing the survey results. He said therewas a clear preference for the existing five-day structure toremain and respondents had made it clear they did not wantthe conference to be scheduled to include weekends - orschool holiday periods. Most strongly supported the existingconcept of staging plenary sessions and two such sessionswas the preferred option of a clear majority. Reasons givenby respondents for non-attendance at conferences relatedmainly to their own inability to get time away from work,the quality of the scientific programs on offer or the cost ofconference registration. The duration of the conference -and the time of year of its staging - were not significant fac-tors in non-attendance. Most survey respondents supportedall conference events currently included in the registrationfee. (Even the least popular event - the Happy Hours - stillattracted majority support in the survey). Dr Denney saidthe survey had produced a lot of useful information on var-ious aspects of the staging of annual conferences, includingthe Conference Handbook. He said most respondents saidthey found the handbook very useful. However, a significantnumber had noted that although they liked receiving thedocument - they never actually used it! The current registra-tion fees were deemed as “value for money” by 44% ofrespondents, while 31% indicated they were too high. Thesurvey data is to be considered by the AVA Board whenmaking decisions on future conferences.

Results of AVAconference survey

AVA’s 1999 AGM for Hobart

The 76th Annual General meeting of AVA Ltd will be heldon Wednesday 19 May, during the AVA Annual

Conference in Hobart. The meeting is set to start at 3.30pm atthe Wrest Point Casino Conference Centre. A formal notice ofthe meeting and the business to be conducted will be mailed tomembers this month, together with the ballot papers for theelections of President-elect and Director on the AVA Board.

AVJ needs more cover pictures