Editorial Issue 1 2015
Celebrating the contribution of Libby Kalucy

As the Australian Journal of Primary Care (AJPH) passes its 20th year, we are excited to write our first editorial as joint Editors in Chief. The decision to share the role is acknowledgement that it will take two of us to fill the role that Libby Kalucy made look so effortless.

Libby has been Editor in Chief of the journal since 2010, and was co Editor in Chief with Rae Walker for the year prior to that, but she has been a long-standing supporter of the journal, particularly through her role as Director of the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (PHCRIS) from 2001 to 2010. At Libby’s suggestion, a prize for the best paper relevant to the interests of the journal was introduced and has been awarded annually at the PHC Research Conference since 2009. Libby’s in-depth knowledge of the primary health-care sector and her expertise in knowledge translation, coupled with her warmth and personal commitment, have strengthened the AJPH immeasurably. Under Libby’s leadership over the past 5 years, the reach and reputation of the AJPH has increased, and the current impact factor reflects the way in which the AJPH has confirmed its place as the leading primary health-care journal in Australasia. Libby’s leadership has been invaluable, and she will be missed by the Editorial Panel and all of those who have worked with her on the AJPH. We are very grateful that she has agreed to join the Journal’s Editorial Board and will continue to review papers.

As we celebrate the fantastic contribution that Libby has made to the journal, and faced with the task of writing our first joint editorial, we pondered what we should write about. It seemed fitting to stop for a moment and think about why people put up their hand to be editors. In one of Libby’s recent editorials she wrote about the importance of research in enlightening the reality of health care, noting that high-quality peer-reviewed journals are central to ensure knowledge is shared well beyond the research team. The roles of journal editors and reviewers in supporting the efforts of new, developing and established researchers are important in this endeavour, and often done in people’s ‘spare’ time. Similarly, many of the authors who contribute to the AJPH are writing about research conducted while having other busy roles in the health sector. Like Libby, we are both passionate about the dissemination of new knowledge, and we respect the commitment and effort that goes into undertaking research and preparing a journal submission. For us, the role of editor is a privileged one. It is always exciting to see an article in print, especially when you know it is the work of a first time author or that the authors have laboured patiently through a series of revisions. We are particularly keen to see the AJPH continue to contribute to impacts in policy and practice in primary health care as it is broadly defined, and to encourage inter-disciplinary sharing of ideas.

Taking over from Libby is somewhat daunting, but it is also exciting to step up to the challenge and support the sharing of knowledge. Libby has set such a high benchmark as Editor in Chief, but we are reassured that the AJPH has a great team behind it, including Jenny Macmillan, the long-serving executive officer, Associate Editors John Furler and Sarah Larkin, a strong Editorial Board, and the fantastic team at CSIRO Publishing. And of course, it would be nothing without the committed authors who submit their work to the AJPH for consideration. The papers in this issue reflect the breadth of the interests of readers of the AJPH and the significance of a strong primary health-care sector in an effective health system.

Virginia Lewis and Amanda Kenny
Editors in Chief

Virginia Lewis

Amanda Kenny