The Federal Election has been called for 3 May 2025, and while everyone whips into campaign mode, millions of Australians are suffering needless pain, racking up preventable hospital visits because they cannot access timely physiotherapy. The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is calling for urgent reform ahead of the election, putting direct access to physiotherapy, new care pathways, and greater investment in prevention at the forefront of the healthcare conversation.

The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) welcomes the continued investment in the nation’s health articulated in tonight’s Federal Budget.

In a budget framed as a plan for a “new generation of prosperity”, APA National President Dr Rik Dawson MACP said Australia’s healthcare system requires a bolder reform agenda.

Faster, fairer and more effective care must be on the election ballot this campaign season. The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is urging political parties to prioritise healthcare reform that will deliver for the millions of Australians with musculoskeletal conditions and chronic pain. At the heart of the APA’s call is a critical reform: publicly funded First Contact Physiotherapy (FCP), which would provide direct access to physiotherapists for diagnosis and treatment when they need it and without needing a GP referral.

The National Health and Medical Research Council has awarded the University of Sydney and their major support partner, the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA), a Partnership Grant for the PhysioDirect-Aus project. This research will explore the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and implementation of a publicly funded direct access physiotherapy pathway for musculoskeletal pain in Australia.

Millions of Australians are suffering needless pain, racking up preventable hospital visits because they cannot access timely physiotherapy. The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is calling for urgent reform ahead of the 2025 Federal Election, putting direct access to physiotherapy, new care pathways, and greater investment in prevention at the forefront of the healthcare conversation.

The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is calling on all candidates for the 2025 Western Australian election to commit to strengthening the healthcare system by prioritising physiotherapy-led models of care.  

It’s been just over a month since Dr Rik Dawson MACP stepped into his two-year term as National President of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA), and he has hit the ground running.

Stroke is one of Australia’s biggest health challenges, with over 440,000 Australians living with its impacts today. In 2023 alone, nearly 46,000 Australians experienced a stroke—that’s one every 11 minutes. With stroke rates rising among younger Australians, the need for awareness and strong support systems has never been greater.

The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) welcomes the final report of the Scope of Practice Review, Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce, which outlines robust solutions to overcoming barriers limiting high-value care across settings.

The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is calling for immediate government action to improve veterans' access to physiotherapy services, following the release of new data from its latest member survey and the final report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.