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. 

Australia’s primary care system remains under immense strain, with rising demand for GPs, longer patient wait times and increasing hospital costs, particularly for older Australians. 

The current system is inefficient. Physiotherapists are highly trained but we remain under utilised due to outdated referral pathways and funding restrictions. 

In 2022–23, Australia spent $172.3 billion on health. Musculoskeletal disorders accounted for $15.9 billion—the second-highest expenditure after cancer—while falls-related injuries cost $5.1 billion, doubling since 2020. 

Chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis ($4.9 billion) and back pain ($3.9 billion) continue to burden the system.

Musculoskeletal conditions alone contribute to one in six GP visits and up to 25 per cent of emergency department presentations—many of which could be effectively managed by physiotherapists as first-line practitioners. 

Enabling physiotherapists to take on this role would free up GPs to focus on complex medical cases and alleviate hospital pressures. 

The APA welcomes recent strides in primary healthcare reform, particularly the Scope of Practice Review. 

However, we are concerned that progress may stall under a new government or be delayed by longstanding reform barriers.

To ensure continued momentum, the APA has been strengthening its alliances with allied health and medical groups, particularly in enabling direct physiotherapy referrals to orthopaedic specialists. 

We support a strong primary care system where GPs remain central to success. 

While we welcome recent funding announcements, the government’s vision for a multidisciplinary, team-based approach has yet to be fully reflected in policy beyond nursing. 

Additionally, these funding increases further highlight the inadequacy of the current Chronic Disease Management plan and Department of Veterans’ Affairs physiotherapy rebates. 

Over the next few years, we will push for greater integration of physiotherapists into primary care through publicly funded first contact physiotherapy models. 

Our efforts will be strengthened by the recent announcement of the APA’s National Health and Medical Research Council partnership project with the University of Sydney, entitled ‘Direct access to publicly funded physiotherapy for musculoskeletal pain: effectiveness, costeffectiveness and implementation’ (PhysioDirect-Aus). 

This project reinforces the APA’s commitment to expanding the evidence base for our advocacy. 

We will also advocate for the inclusion of physiotherapists in Urgent Care Clinics, investment in a sustainable NDIS, expansion of preventive healthcare models, reduction of health disparities—especially in rural and First Nations communities—and the creation of workforce strategies to address ongoing challenges. 

I extend my sincere thanks to independent board member Leesa Chesser, whose term ends in May. 

Her leadership during our election campaign and her service to the APA over the past three years have been invaluable. 

The APA needs your voice to maintain momentum. The relationships we have built this year are key to driving reforms that recognise the value of physiotherapy—but we cannot do it alone. 

I urge you to take action, visit your local MP once the election dust has settled, use the APA’s advocacy resources available on our website and help us push for real policy change that invests in physiotherapy.

Rik Dawson APAM MACP
APA Titled Gerontological Physiotherapist
APA National President