Changes to Medical Council of New Zealand Leadership

Thursday 18 June 2026

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) congratulates Dr Kenneth Clark on his election as Chair of the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ). Dr Clark is an obstetrician and gynaecologist and a past President of RANZCOG – the first New Zealander to hold that role. We also thank outgoing Chair Dr Rachelle Love for her leadership and service.

RANZCOG shares the concerns expressed by the Council of Medical Colleges regarding the circumstances of these leadership changes. The independence of the medical regulator is not a matter of ideology, it is a cornerstone of patient safety.

RANZCOG also affirms that cultural safety is clinical safety. The evidence is robust and the outcomes are measurable. Patients who receive culturally safe care have better health outcomes. In obstetrics and gynaecology, where Māori and Pacific women and their pēpi continue to experience significant and preventable disparities, this matters profoundly.

RANZCOG supports the Council of Medical Colleges’ statement including that a strong, independent MCNZ is essential to the health and safety of all people in Aotearoa New Zealand.