I’ve just returned from APASC25, our biennial scientific conference, where more than 1700 delegates came together to share the latest research, technology and clinical practice. 

APASC25 showed that Australian physiotherapists are not just keeping pace with change; we are driving it. 

From digital rehabilitation and musculoskeletal innovation to rural workforce reform and culturally safe models of care, every session reflected one truth: physiotherapy is essential to the health and wellbeing of our communities. 

A significant part of the APA’s role as the peak body for physiotherapists in Australia is to provide connection, value and support for every member throughout their career. 

In the launch of our new strategic plan, Towards 2023, connection is one of our key pillars of focus. 

In September, we reached a major milestone as we became 35,000 members strong—an outstanding achievement that will benefit all members through new resources and initiatives. 

Although we are united by our profession, we are not one homogeneous group. 

Launched at APASC25, the APA’s Physiotherapy. Shaping our future together: next generation white paper addresses a critical gap—the need for a structured graduate pathway to support early-career physiotherapists as they enter the profession. 

As we navigate an increasingly complex healthcare landscape, the APA stands at a pivotal moment. 

Our advocacy agenda is our blueprint for transforming how physiotherapy is recognised, funded and integrated. 

The Australian healthcare system faces significant demands, from musculoskeletal conditions to injuries caused by falls and chronic back pain—conditions where physiotherapy can deliver cost-effective outcomes backed by robust research. 

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned in my time as president is that advocacy is never achieved alone. 

Every meeting in Canberra, every policy submission occurs because we build alliances—with politicians, with community groups, with researchers, with consumers and, most importantly, with each other as physiotherapists. 

This year the APA has been challenged with significant threats to practice viability. 

Physiotherapy is an increasingly integral part of the healthcare system, playing a vital and broad role across many areas. 

As physiotherapists, we’ve long championed the value we bring to Australia’s health system. From early intervention in childhood development to pain management in working-age adults or falls prevention and reablement in older Australians, our reach is broad, our evidence strong and our outcomes tangible. 

But value alone is no longer enough. 

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.