2026 Violet Vines Marshman Oration

Speaking Up for Place: Shaping the Future of Rural Health

We invite you to join us in conversation at the Violet Vines Marshman Annual Oration with keynote speaker, Dr Louise Manning, President of the Rural Doctors’ Association of Victoria.

Dr Louise Manning is a rural GP Obstetrician practising in Central Victoria where she delivers general practice, hospital inpatient and urgent care, procedural obstetric and sexual health services. Growing up in a small town she has lived experience of the difficulties accessing healthcare in rural and regional areas and is dedicated to advocating for equitable health outcomes regardless of geography. In addition to her clinical duties, she undertakes consulting, medical education and advocacy work. She is the current President of the Rural Doctors' Association of Victoria and a non-executive board director of Rural Workforce Agency Victoria.

The Oration will focus on advocacy as the central theme of the presentation. Dr Manning will speak to the need to have a united multidisciplinary voice if we are to solve rural health workforce issues and improve the health outcomes of rural communities. She will also mention the importance and power of community-led advocacy and grassroots movements, and how we need to empower individual rural communities to lead. Dr Manning is very much of the opinion that communities need to help design their health workforce solutions.

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