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.

But I do know this: if we want the APA to lead healthcare reform that puts the patient journey at the centre and if we want to see physiotherapy properly funded to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, we must build advocacy alliances with urgency and intent.

For this federal election, the APA was more prepared than ever. 

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

Leia Barnes MACP, a 20-year veteran in physiotherapy, has built a career focused on innovation, advocacy and improving
patient outcomes. 

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. 

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2021–2031 (Department of Health 2021) defines cultural safety as follows:

National Close the Gap Day is held annually on the third Thursday in March, which this year falls on 20 March. 

It’s a day that holds particular importance for the APA because we are keenly aware of the critical role that physiotherapy can, and should, play in closing the gap in life expectancy, child mortality and education and employment outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. 

In 2007, receiving an APA Professional Excellence Award was a pivotal moment in my career as a physiotherapist. 

It was more than just recognition; it was a signal to push further, to explore new approaches and to seek out even better outcomes for my clients. 

As your president-elect, I’ve often been asked why I chose to become a physiotherapist—a question that piques the interest of media and members alike. 

Like many physiotherapists, my journey began with a positive encounter with the physiotherapy profession during my youth.