Australia goes to the polls soon, either later this year or early in 2022.

The next federal election will take place in an unknown environment.

Australia will be emerging from COVID-19.

We don’t know what our economic and social situation will be or even if it will be consistent across the states and territories.

We have finalised the vision and options paper requested by Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt, after we met with him to discuss the economic Value of Physiotherapy report that the APA commissioned last year, and are awaiting a further meeting.

On 26 July, APA President Scott Willis gave evidence to the House Select Committee on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention inquiry.

Since its start in 2010, the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme has been an important national regulatory reform that benefits everyone accessing healthcare anywhere in Australia.

Before the National Scheme was introduced, health practitioner registration in Australia involved eight separate state and territory regulatory systems with differing legislation, requirements and scope of professions.

Australia has one of the best health systems in the world, ranked in the top 10 by numerous independent reports and studies.

Our spending on health, especially primary care, is among the highest in the world.

Our efforts will continue as our industry rebounds, changes, challenges and sets the agenda towards betterment of the health system for the profession and consumers.

The global pandemic has focused the policy lens on what needs transforming, not just in healthcare but across most systems.

What we are seeing now in Australia’s health policy—not only because of the pandemic but also the culmination of a protracted period of reform discussion—is a key policy moment for physiotherapy and the wider health system.

Donisha Duff admits that her first term on the Board of Metro South Hospital and Health Services in Queensland was a challenge.