A leaked EGM request has revealed more than 100 college members are looking to oust the current president amid bullying and governance concerns.
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians is no stranger to an extraordinary general meeting with four held last year alone.
Now, more than 100 RACP members have signed a requisition calling for another EGM – this time to vote on the potential removal of the college’s current president, Professor Jennifer Martin.
The move marks a shift from last year’s meetings, three of which sought to remove key members from the college board rather than the president.
The college’s incoming president Dr Sharmila Chandran was the subject of half of these EGMs with both EGMs that looked to oust her being voted down by a considerable majority.
The latest requisition calls for the EGM to be held on 23 April 2026, just over a month before Dr Chandran is due to take office at the end of May.
If the EGM is successful, Professor Martin would be removed as both a director and president of the RACP.
The application for the EGM has been leaked to the press. Its supporting statement highlights ongoing allegations of workplace bullying and harassment against Professor Marton as central to the call for her removal.
“It is not acceptable for the President to have findings of bullying and harassment towards staff members who are in a less powerful position,” the EGM supporting statement reads.
“Such findings damage the reputation of the College and results in an unacceptable position for the President to continue as President, Chair and a Director of the College.”
The reference to “findings” relates to an external investigation commissioned by the RACP and conducted by organisational risk management firm Centium to investigate bullying accusations raised by the college’s company secretary.
“Nobody wants to come to the board the way it is,” Dr Chandran told TMR last week.
“People are talking to me, willing to come … [but] they go, ‘we’re not coming now’ because they [are afraid that they will] only be kicked out.”
Allegations of board instability and “poor oversight of expenditure” were also noted in the supporting statement.
“As President and Chair of the Board, Professor Martin has the duty to foster a healthy culture within the Board and College as well as maintain board stability,” the statement reads.
It further claims the current board misquoting Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission recommendations in “destabilising communications”.
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Concerns about the college’s governance have intensified in recent weeks, with Dr Chandran publicly expressing dissatisfaction over its financial position.
“I have escalating concerns about the financial governance, ethical leadership, and organisational culture of the RACP, causing great risks to its survival as a medical college,” Dr Chandran wrote in a letter to RACP members.
“On 2 February 2026, the only non-member director, the Treasurer resigned after less than four months on the Board.
“He raised significant cultural issues as the reason for his departure.
“His resignation leaves a Board of four directors with no formal financial qualifications or specialist financial expertise, despite the College having entered a $30 million loan in late 2025.”
The college has been contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.
