Over the last 12 months, the AILA national board has been considering several key areas in which the association can modernise and improve membership services.

One area identified is the website and, after a long development process, as announced by immediate past president David McKenna at the AILA conference in Hobart, we will soon launch an exciting and improved site.

Another key area for update is AILA News. For a start, the name is changing to Resolve, which reflects the insurance industry’s focus on solutions.

Resolve will continue to be produced in hard copy for two issues. After that, it will become HTML and be distributed to members electronically. That gives you almost six months to ensure your email contact information is current with AILA before the publication goes digital.

The board deliberated long and hard about moving to an electronic format but agreed that, for AILA to remain current and appeal to new members, technology was the logical step forward.

Kate Tilley and her team at KT Journalism, who have been writing and producing AILA News since the June 1994 issue, will continue to provide editorial content. Ben Gummow, of Gummow Design, who was responsible for AILA’s updated logo and improved corporate identity in 2008, will take on the design role.

I look forward to member feedback on the new-look publication, Resolve.

Board changes

I welcome AILA’s four new board members - Anthony Hillary, from Lawson Smith Lawyers, SA; Susan Vidler, from Assetinsure, NSW; Raj Kanhai, QBE, NSW; and Allison Grice, CGU, Victoria.

I am particularly pleased three of them are from the insurance industry. This brings a greater industry perspective to the board’s deliberations and will assist in bringing AILA’s educational and networking opportunities to a broader audience.

I am confident the increase in industry representatives will enable AILA to return to a situation where the national presidency can rotate between a lawyer and an industry representative.

The retiring board members are Chris Rodd, John Fountain and Kate Farrell, and I thank them for their service to AILA and its membership.

Hobart conference

I thank our newest life member, Steve Knight, and his conference organising team – Lionel Banks, Bill Callaway, David Farmer, Steven Smith and Rob Webster – for the sterling job they did in organising such a wonderful conference. The topics were of great relevance and the quality of the speakers a talking point.

The mix of delegates was one of the best in AILA’s 29-year history and the board is keen to continue this diversification among the membership as we reach out to more potential members.

Steve and his team ensured great diversity in the program, too, with off-site breakout sessions, and the opportunity to view the extraordinary Museum of Old and New Art. During the conference we sampled the culinary delights of Tasmania, including the spectacular degustation menu at the gala dinner. We also enjoyed seeing legendary Tasmanian axeman David Foster and his son, Stephen, in action again.

Regional committee

At the 2011 annual conference in Perth, AILA established a regional committee, chaired by Steve Knight. It aims to foster closer relationships between AIDA’s Asia-Pacific region chapters, share resources and co-ordinate schedules.

Committee members are Greg Pynt and David McKenna, from WA; myself; Will Harrison and Mei-wah Leung, from the Hong Kong Insurance Law Association; AIDA vice-president Professor Rob Merkin; NZILA president Craig Langstone; and Simon Goh, from the Singapore Insurance Law Association.

The committee is looking to host an inaugural regional conference in Singapore in 2016, marking the 250th anniversary of Lord Mansfield’s judgement in Carter v Boehm, which heralded the start of the doctrine of good faith in insurance contracts (see page 12).

AILA has agreed, after a meeting I had with secretary-general Colin Croly in London in October, to develop a template for emerging and existing chapters to facilitate their development. It will highlight the steps AILA followed to advance and increase its membership. A board subcommittee is working on this project and will make a presentation to the Presidential Council next September. It will be a well-researched document chapters can share to assist in their growth without having to “reinvent the wheel”.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all AILA members; I trust you will enjoy a relaxing festive season, with the opportunity to spend time with family and friends. We look forward to a big year for AILA in 2013 – our 30th anniversary and we will host an AIDA Presidential Council meeting in Sydney, coinciding with the annual conference in September. It will be the first time the Presidential Congress has met in Australia since 1994, when Sydney was host city for the AIDA World Congress.

David Lee

AILA President