Join the Policy Advisory Council (PAC) to add your voice to the industry
The Policy Advisory Council develops AVA policies and position statements through consultation with members about the issues that are important to the profession.
Each division and special interest group nominates a Policy Councillor to represent them at council meetings.
Policy Advisory Council meets each year, and working groups collaborate between meetings to review and update old policies, as well as develop new ones.
Policies are underpinned by evidence from the scientific literature wherever possible. Note that evidence is obtained using targeted rather than systematic literature reviews, but every effort is made to present comprehensive, balanced and unbiased content.
Member consultation
The Member Hub (Circle) is AVA’s online member community, and it is where policies under development are posted for member comment. During consultation periods, draft policies are shared in Circle so members can read, discuss and submit feedback directly, helping shape the final position of the profession.
Access to Circle is included as part of your AVA membership.
To get started:
- Sign up at the AVA Circle community using the same email address you registered with for your AVA membership
- Once logged in, navigate to the Policies for Member Comment space
- Look for posts tagged Policies for member comment to see what is currently open for input
- Read the draft policy and add your comment directly on the post
Not yet a member? Join the AVA to access Circle and have your say in shaping the policies that represent your profession.
Questions?
Read our FAQ’s
A policy is where there is a high level of consensus among members about the issue. A position statement reflects a significant diversity of opinion among members on the topic.
A draft policy is prepared by a working group, typically led by the relevant special interest group representative on the Policy Advisory Council.
The draft is then discussed and amended at a Policy Advisory Council meeting. A majority vote is required to progress the revised draft for broader member consultation.
Once approved for consultation, the draft is circulated to members for feedback. Members are encouraged to review and comment on all policies and position statements in development.
All member feedback is collected and reviewed by the Policy Advisory Council. The Council then determines which changes should be incorporated into the next version of the draft.
The updated draft is further debated by the Policy Advisory Council, with additional amendments made where required.
A final version is agreed through a formal vote (typically requiring a 75% majority) and is then submitted to the Board for review.
If approved, the Board ratifies the policy, at which point it becomes official policy.
The AVA Board has the ultimate responsibility to adopt policies on behalf of the association. Policy Advisory Council makes recommendations to the Board, but the ultimate decision is the Board’s.
If action is required on an issue where no policy exists, either the Board makes the policy itself, or may delegate that responsibility to a group of members with the appropriate knowledge and expertise to reach consensus. This group is usually led by the AVA President, and includes policy staff, appropriate special interest group representatives, and any other special experts that are required. Ultimately the Board must ratify the final draft before it becomes official AVA policy.