The AHPA Insider
Thursday 12 March 2026

AHPA connects with members and policy leaders in Canberra

AHPA was back in Canberra this week, joining Asthma Australia at Parliament House for their International Women’s Day event with Minister Mark Butler and Assistant Minister Rebecca White. Cathy Freeman AC delivered a powerful address as she launched the She Needs to Breathe campaign, sharing her lived experience with asthma and highlighting the disproportionate burden carried by women and girls. Despite higher prevalence after puberty, greater hospitalisation rates and more than double the mortality rate of men, asthma remains largely absent from major women’s health initiatives and routine assessments.

AHPA also hosted a networking dinner with members and allied health colleagues alongside Commonwealth CAHO Anita Hobson-Powell and ACT CAHO Sue Fitzpatrick, ahead of the ACT Allied Health Forum. Discussions at the Forum focused on government priorities for allied health and provided insights into the latest data shaping the sector.

Prac Payment campaign: 22,600 signatures and growing

Expanding the Prac Payment has been highlighted as a practical way to reduce “placement poverty” and help secure a sustainable allied health workforce at a time of critical shortages across many professions.

Add your name to the petition and share it with your friends, family and networks to help keep the momentum going.

Read about the campaign on our website to understand why the sector is calling for urgent reform and how expanded Prac Payments could help secure Australia’s future allied health workforce.

AHPA engagement in disability consultations

The year has begun with a strong focus on disability policy, with AHPA contributing submissions to several key consultations. AHPA has submitted responses to the following consultations:

• Inquiry into the administration of the National Disability Insurance Scheme

• Getting it right: A new definition for NDIS Providers

• NDIS Rules: Public consultation on the new framework for planning

You can read all submissions on our website.

Therapy supports pilot to inform pricing reform

The Australian Government has announced a new $20 million national Therapy Supports Pilot program to strengthen how high-quality therapy services are priced under the NDIS.

The 12-month pilot will involve 27 registered disability service organisations, which will share data on service delivery models, workforce capability and participant outcomes. Insights gathered will help build a clearer picture of what it costs to deliver quality therapy and support future pricing reforms.

Therapy supports currently account for around 10% of NDIS spending, with more than 465,000 participants accessing these services. The pilot aims to ensure participants continue to receive value for money while maintaining the viability of therapy providers.

Don’t miss our 2nd digital health webinar

For those working in organisations, the HPI‑I links connects with your organisation’s Healthcare Provider Identifier – Organisation (HPI-O). Both are essential components of digital connection.

The webinar will step through how the pieces fit together.

Monday 30 March 2026, 5–6pm (AEDT).

PRECI Launches National Road Trip to Support Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention

• Framework Implementation Workshops (free, half‑day) – Practical sessions introducing updated reflection checklists and supporting participants to develop action plans grounded in implementation science.

• Professional Standards for ECI (free, 2 hours) – Beginning the national conversation on professional standards as a foundation for future practice monitoring.

• Coaching Training (full day, fee‑payable) – A deeper dive into coaching practices that enhance everyday intervention with children and families.

Inaugural Australian COPD Symposium

For over 30 years, Lung Foundation Australia has been the national leader in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), supporting thousands of patients, funding research, and producing the COPD-X Guidelines. With the recent introduction of the National COPD Clinical Care Standard, now is the time to bring together the COPD community – consumers, primary care, acute and specialist services, allied health, researchers, and policymakers – to advance the agenda of COPD care.

Australia’s first dedicated COPD Symposium will be held in Melbourne on 12-13 June 2026. Earlybird registrations and abstract submissions are open now.