- Who we are
About ACSA
The national body advocating for Australian ostomates.
The Australian Council of Stoma Associations Inc.
ACSA is the National Body representing 21 ostomy associations and, through the membership of these associations, approximately 46,000 persons living with an ostomy throughout Australia.
Our member associations provide personal support, care, information, encouragement and assistance to persons who, as a result of radical surgery as a result of disease, injury, birth defect or other causes, have an opening in the abdomen (called a "stoma") for the evacuation of products from the bowel or bladder.
ACSA acts as the voice for stoma associations and ostomates when liaising with government departments, ostomy product suppliers, and associated and related groups. It also provides an advocacy and information service to its 21 affiliated associations and their members.
One of ACSA's main activities is to oversee the distribution of products funded by the Commonwealth Stoma Appliance Scheme. Annually this involves over 400,000 individual orders which are assembled from more than 3,700 product lines. The value of ostomy appliances supplied nationally is over $90 million per year.
Other activities of ACSA include the publication of a journal, 'Ostomy Australia', and international liaison through membership of the International Ostomy Association.
"ACSA is committed to ensuring the continuation of the Australian Stoma Appliance Scheme and to assisting with the improvement of the quality of life of Australian ostomates."
Executive Committee
View ACSA's disclaimer.
ACSA Constitution
Download the governing constitution (October 2025).
Governing Policies
Executive Committee
Empowering Lives Beyond Stoma
Ian Samuel OAM- President
Ian Samuel OAM – is a retired solicitor and has been an ostomate since 1982. He previously held the role of honorary treasurer for ACSA in the 1990s and has been president of the Ostomy Association of Melbourne on a number of occasions, most recently until 2019.
Ian serves on the committee of a number of not for profit organisations and has acted as honorary solicitor for a wide range of not for profit organisations in his legal career. He has a keen interest in governance.
Lorrie Gray - Vice President
Lorrie is a retired Registered Nurse who now manages the WA Ostomy Association (WAOA). She has been involved with Stomal Therapy Nursing education nationally for many years. After retiring from her university nursing education position, she commenced volunteering at WAOA in 2009, joining the committee in 2012 and becoming manager / secretary in 2017. Although not an ostomate, she has a keen interest in supporting ostomates and has been instrumental in the development of Stomal Therapy Nursing services provided state-wide by WAOA.
David Swift M Infr Man, BE Hons, MIEAust (ret) - Secretary
David has been an ostomate since 2016 and joined the Ileostomy Association of South Australia. After several years as a volunteer, David was elected as Secretary of IASA in 2019 and President of IASA in 2021. David’s focus at IASA is on improving overall governance and management, member services, staff and volunteer development, commercial returns and effective technology. David was elected as Secretary of ACSA in 2020.
David has a professional background in transforming major utilities and improving their service delivery; managing infrastructure contracts for land developments; multi-functional IT systems; and initiating national product approval systems. David has worked at international, national and state levels in both public and private sectors.