As chair of FOCUS26, I am genuinely excited about what we have created for this year’s conference in October in Cairns (Gimuy). 

The passion, creativity and dedication of the team have shaped a program that I believe will inspire, challenge and connect physiotherapists from across Australia. 

There are many moments I am looking forward to but three stand out. 

First, it’s an opportunity for our community to come together. 

In May, I had the privilege of representing Australia as part of the World Physiotherapy delegation at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. 

World Physiotherapy played an active role throughout the Assembly, ensuring that rehabilitation and the physiotherapy profession were represented in discussions on health system reform, workforce development and healthy aging. 

While much attention focused on pandemic preparedness, the economics of healthcare and expanding access to emergency care, rehabilitation emerged as a major priority. 

Catherine O’Leary APAM OAM was between jobs when a small advertisement in InMotion caught her attention. 

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) in Melbourne was seeking volunteer physiotherapists. 

Bridget Shaw MACP AM has spent more than 40 years in physiotherapy – across hospitals, education, research, advocacy and service development – as the profession’s role in public health, clinical training and advanced practice has expanded. 

A significant wave of reform is shaping Australian workplaces over 2026–27. 

Four key developments are: 

I arrive at the mission hospital on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, relieved. I survived the morning traffic once again. My first patient is from the countryside. 

They seem uncomfortable with me – the foreigner. I ask a question and the patient’s daughter starts laughing. Apparently, I mixed up the word for ‘nausea’ with ‘crazy’. 

The Physiotherapy Board of Australia plays a central role in protecting the public by setting standards, codes and guidelines for practice and by responding to notifications and conduct concerns. 

In any workplace, occasional lateness or absence is normal. However, ongoing or patterned absenteeism can disrupt operations, affect productivity, place pressure on other team members and lower morale. 

At the same time, not every absence is misconduct, so absenteeism should be managed with a balanced and procedurally fair approach.

The 2026–27 federal Budget presented an opportunity to strengthen primary care, reduce hospital demand and deliver clear economic and social value – priorities that sit at the heart of the APA’s ongoing advocacy work.

For many Australians, accessing a publicly funded physiotherapist requires waiting until they enter hospital.

The APA has long argued that this system disadvantages not only patients, but also the economy.