I was delighted to attend several NAIDOC Week activities with College staff and members earlier this month. Chanelle Martin, the College's first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Liaison Officer, was instrumental in organising these fantastic events. Watch this video to discover what NAIDOC Week and the theme ­– Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud – means to her. You can also hear from Dr Marshall Watson, Chair of the RANZCP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Committee, who talks about the College’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2024–2026 and our vision for reconciliation in this video.

The College has been bustling with activity across a variety of areas. Our trainee representatives, along with Fellows and College staff, have been working towards improving trainee engagement in College activities and in our governance structure. A new trainee engagement strategy was developed last year, and work is underway to implement many of the action items identified within it. Dr Elise Witter, Deputy Chair of the B-national Committee for Trainees, has shared an update on this work.

The Psych Matters podcast team continues to innovate and work closely with members, other experts and our community creating fantastic new content. What started four years ago as a means of sharing information during the COVID-19 pandemic is now a rich repository of over 110 episodes spanning the breath of psychiatry topics. In the most recent episode, recorded at Congress this year, Dr Warren Kealy-Bateman explores the lived experiences of four transgender youth, and considers how psychiatrists and other healthcare professionals can better help transgender and gender-questioning youth in their journey. I urge all members to take the time to listen to it.

On the policy and practice front, last year the College commenced the transition towards a Best Practice Resources model following publication of an external report by hereco, and recommendations of the Future Development of Clinical Practice Guidelines Steering Group. The College’s Committee for Evidence Based Practice has been working to ensure this new direction is guided by the needs and expertise of members. Over the coming months, the framework for this process will be brought to the membership and wider network of College committees for consultation.

Our Mood Disorders Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Evidence Review Steering Group is continuing its work with the Anna Freud Centre to review the evidence for long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in the treatment of mood disorders. A detailed update is available on the website.

Applications for the latest RANZCP Foundation research grants are now open. I encourage members interested in psychiatry research to learn more about the Beverley Raphael New Investigator Grant, Foundation Early Research Career Grant, and Foundation Catalyst Grant and consider applying or recommending the grants to colleagues.

And finally, the RANZCP 2024 New Zealand Conference will be held in Wellington from 18–20 September. It’s the perfect opportunity for members to engage in enriching discussions, gain insights from renowned speakers (including Prof Colleen Loo, Prof Helen Hermann and Prof Jonathan Meyer), and connect with peers from across our two countries. Early-bird registration closes on 11 August.

Dr Elizabeth Moore
 RANZCP President