Running a successful private practice means more than attracting patients and balancing the books. 

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. 

Volunteering has always been at the heart of our profession. 

Whether it’s supporting a community event, contributing to a sporting team or stepping into leadership within the APA, it reflects our shared commitment to strengthening the community. 

On the surface, volunteering is a gift of time and energy. 

Yet any physiotherapist who has volunteered knows the deeper truth: the personal return is often far greater than the effort given. 

Volunteering provides a profound sense of purpose and connection. 

Marcus Mancer MACP’s path to physiotherapy began on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Growing up the son of a farmer and teacher, Marcus found that his teenage years were shaped by his father’s struggles with rheumatoid arthritis.

Physiotherapists are familiar with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia (the Board)—after all, you have to renew your registration through the Board and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) every year. 

In May this year, I travelled to Tokyo alongside APA National President Dr Rik Dawson and Chair of the Board Mark Round to attend the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025. 

The scale of the congress made the event a brilliant opportunity for us to represent Australia on a global stage and to network and connect with physiotherapists from around the world. 

During our time in Tokyo, we were able to meet with board members and senior executives from numerous countries including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Nepal, the United States and the United Kingdom. 

Physiotherapy clinics may be an attractive target for cybercrime, given how valuable patient data and personal health information are to cybercriminals. 

A recent Federal Court decision in Lattouf v ABC has significantly reshaped the legal landscape when it comes to political expression in Australian workplaces. 

The case confirms that political expression is now a protected attribute under section 772(1)(f) of the Fair Work Act 2009, expanding existing protections for employees and introducing new compliance challenges for employers. 

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.