Ian Bluntish, principal optometrist at Holdfast Bay Optometry at Glenelg, South Australia, has been appointed Chairman of the Optometry Board of Australia, commencing 31 August.
Mr. Bluntish has served as both state and national President of Optometry Australia, provided accreditation standards to optometry practices and was an inaugural government appointee to the Optometry Board of Australia in 2009. His appointment was announced by Australia’s health ministers along with appointments and reappointments of Chairs, Practitioner Members and Community Members to fill vacancies arising across 12 National Boards. The vacancies are primarily a result of the three-year terms expiring for those appointed to National Boards by the Ministerial Council in 2012.
“The three yearly appointment process is an opportunity for Australia’s health ministers to introduce new perspectives into Board decision making and retain the expertise of experienced Board members,” said AHPRA CEO Martin Fletcher.
“The appointments by Ministerial Council will promote diversity in the membership of Boards given the diversity of the professions regulated, in terms of professional background, practice setting, as well as age, gender and location,” he said.
Thirty-eight of the inaugural members of National Boards first appointed in 2009 have been reappointed for third terms in 2015
Three members of the Optometry Board of Australia announced they would not stand for renomination: Colin Waldron, who had been the Chairman of the OBA and Practitioner Member from Queensland; and Community Members Peta Frampton and Lawson Lobb.
THE NEW LOOK OBA
The New Optometry Board of Australia comprises:
• Ian Bluntish, appointed as Chair and reappointed as Practitioner Member from South Australia (third term; first term as Chair);
• Jane Duffy, OAM, reappointed as a Practitioner Member from Victoria (third term);
• Dr. Ann Webber, appointed as a Practitioner Member from Queensland (first term);
• Derek Fails, reappointed as a Practitioner Member from New South Wales (third term);
• Garry Fitzpatrick, reappointed as a Practitioner Member from Western Australia (third term);
• Assoc Prof Daryl Guest, appointed as a Practitioner Member from Tasmania (first term);
• Adrienne Farago, reappointed as a Community Member (second term)
• Anthony Evans, appointed as a Community Member (first term); and
• Assoc. Prof Rosemary Knight, appointed as a Community Member (first term).
All appointments are for three years and were effective from 31 August 2015.
