About

Inspired by the extraordinary initiatives of Professors Stanley Fahn and C. David Marsden at the annual American Academy of Neurology and Movement Disorder Society Meetings, the Sydney Movement Disorder Society was founded in 1988 by Drs Ron Joffe, Ivan Lorentz, Dudley O'Sullivan and John Morris.

Three to four meetings a year were held, initially, at the College in Macquarie Street, and later, in the Holme Building on the Sydney University campus. The format was then, and remains, an invited lecture followed by case presentations and dinner.

The inaugural President was Jim Lance and office bearers were elected for three year terms. The Sydney Movement Disorder Society became the Australian Movement Disorder Society (MDSA) and was incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act in 1991 with Ivan Lorentz, John Morris, Philip Thompson, and Andrew Hughes serving terms as MDSA President.  In 2016 the societies name was changed by general agreement at the AGM to Movement Disorder Society of Australia and New Zealand reflecting the change in membership geography over the years which had come to include New Zealand in a noticeable capacity.

Purpose:

Missions and goals:

The Movement Disorder Society of Australia and New Zealand is a professional society of clinicians, scientists, and other healthcare professionals who have an active interest in the work and aims of the society.

• Providing educational programs for clinicians, scientists and the general public designed to advance scientific and clinical knowledge about movement disorders
• Sponsoring congresses and symposia on movement disorders
• Collaborating with other international organisations and lay groups. 

• Using the society's influence and resources to enhance support for research
• Facilitating the dissemination of information about research
• Encouraging the training of basic and clinical scientists in movement related disorders and disorders. 

• Working with regulatory agencies to assist them in the approval process of safe and effective therapeutic interventions
• Informing the public and patient support groups of new research and therapeutic advances
• Playing an active role in the development of policies that affect support of research and patient care
• Developing standards of training in the specialty.