Formation

On the 11th November 1988 a meeting of 25 committed colorectal surgeons agreed to form the Australian Society of Colorectal Surgeons (later changed to the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australasia and in 2006 renamed the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand). The meeting was convened by Dr Mark Killingback and it elected Dr David Failes as the first President. The aim of the Society was and is to improve the quality of care of patients with diseases of the colon and rectum. To achieve this aim the Society continues to foster the development and maintenance of colorectal surgery as a specialty with the following objectives:

• education of colorectal surgeons, the medical profession and the public
  
• development and maintenance of standards of practice of colorectal surgery in Australia and New Zealand
  
• to facilitate and promote the training, certification and accreditation of colorectal surgeons
  
• development and support of research programmes in colorectal surgery
  
• acting in an advisory capacity for government, the AMA and other health organisations
  
• provision of peer review advice
  
• to foster the international exchange of all matters important to the development of colorectal surgery

A number of standing committees and subcommittees were formed with special responsibilities for education, standards and training, research and liaison with government, other medical bodies and the health industry.