During my undergraduate degree, I was fortunate enough to complete a number of regional placements across Victoria, including in Wangaratta, Shepparton, Ballarat and Bendigo. 

Working alongside dedicated local teams, sharing accommodation with fellow students and becoming part of the fabric of each town enriched both my practice and my understanding of what healthcare means to regional Australians. 

As we have seen recently with the NDIS and aged care sectors, this perception is not only inaccurate but dangerous. 

Physiotherapy is not a cost to be trimmed; it is an investment in independence, quality of life and long-term sustainability.

Across the country, we are witnessing a troubling trend. 

Our new strategic plan identifies key priorities that will guide our work as the peak body representing 45,000 physiotherapists across Australia. 

In the feature article for May InMotion, Strategy and Policy Specialist Bronwyn Darmanin of the APA Policy and Government Relations team unpacked the APA’s 2025 federal election statement.

The APA’s 2025 election statement, Physiotherapy: putting patients at the centre of care, sets a clear direction for change. 

When cultural safety is talked about in physiotherapy or healthcare more broadly, it’s easily reduced by many to something surface level, like a quick training session, a tokenistic Acknowledgement of Country, a social media post or knowing the right words to say. 

In the lead-up to the election, our Policy and Government Relations team has been working tirelessly to build awareness and support across political parties, independents and key departments—including Health and Aged Care, Veterans’ Affairs and Social Services—to highlight the value of physiotherapy. 

A key outcome of our advocacy efforts has been an increase in requests from policymakers seeking the APA’s advice. 

This shift reflects growing recognition of the pressures on the healthcare system and physiotherapy’s potential to address these challenges.