Our Society
The Human Genetics Society of Australasia was formed in 1977 as an incorporated association in South Australia to provide a forum for the various disciplines collected under the title of Human Genetics. In 2023 the membership voted to modernise the governance of the Society by moving to a Company Limited by Guarantee and the change took effect on 28th March 2024.
The HGSA is a full member of the International Federation of Human Genetics Societies and domestically we work closely with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia as well as other groups.
The Society holds an Annual Scientific Meeting each year with visiting international and national speakers. All members of the Society are encouraged to present original work in the form of oral and poster presentations.
Members typically hold both a qualification and are employed in a position relevant to Human Genetics. Membership is drawn from clinical, laboratory and academic specialties, and includes clinical geneticists, genetic counsellors and laboratory scientists (molecular, cytogenetic and biochemical genetics) and academic researchers. For almost four decades, the HGSA has successfully trained and certified most clinicians and laboratory scientists working in the field of Human Genetics in Australia and New Zealand.
In our unified intent to support the genetic health of the Australian and New Zealand population HGSA members value communication with all our clinical and laboratory colleagues. The Society contributes to all major debates and advocates for the safe, ethical and effective use of genetic information in healthcare. The HGSA is regularly called upon as the expert body to contribute to national and international initiatives that involve human genetics.
Significant recent advances in genetic technologies have resulted in an increasing range of options to improve health, modify genetic predisposition and save lives. Genetic information is being made available to an increasing numbers of patients and health care providers.
HGSA Structure
The affairs of the Society are managed by a Board of Directors. The Board takes advice from an Advisory Council consisting of the representatives from branches in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and New Zealand plus representatives of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) who are all elected annually, and representatives of key committees including Boards of Censors, Education, Ethics and Social Issues, and Newborn Screening Committees. Each Branch and SIG has its own Committee, which organises local scientific and other meetings.
The Secretariat is where all the Society’s business is processed and is located in Sydney, New South Wales and managed by the AACB.
The body of the membership consists of ordinary members who are defined as those who hold a recognised qualification in a discipline relevant to Human Genetics and are employed in a position appropriate to this discipline, whether it be as a teacher, clinician, laboratory scientist, counsellor or in pure research.
Other membership categories provide for those who reside outside Australasia, students, organisations and affiliate memberships. Emeritus membership is achieved by invitation only, in recognition of eminence in the field.
The society has the following objectives:
- to promote the establishment and maintenance of high ethical standards among persons working in Human Genetics;
- to promote the establishment of high standards of professional practice among persons working in Human Genetics;
- to advance professional and lay education in the field of Human Genetics;
- to promote and facilitate the training and ongoing professional development and recognition of those engaged in the field of Human Genetics;
- to provide for the certification and voluntary registration of genetic counsellors;
- to promote research in the field of Human Genetics;
- to develop and maintain policies and position statements to support best practice in the delivery of health care and the ethical implementation of new genomic technologies;
- to promote public awareness and understanding of Human Genetics
Download HGSA Constitution
Download HGSA Organisational Chart