ATMS UPDATE
Regulation Report
Rebecca Lang | Chair, Regulatory Committee
As Chair of the ATMS Regulatory Committee, I’ m pleased to provide this update on the strategic work we’ ve been doing to advocate for the recognition, protection, and sustainability of the natural medicine profession in Australia.
This year has already seen a major milestone for our profession: the Federal Government’ s acceptance of the NTREAP( Natural Therapies Review Expert Advisory Panel) recommendations to reinstate seven natural therapies under private health insurance. This announcement represents years of collective advocacy from professional associations across the country, working with consistency and commitment to correct the course of policy decisions that sidelined our modalities back in 2019.
While this is a significant policy win, we are now entering the next critical phase: implementation. Each private health insurer must now individually update their policies and administrative systems to reflect the reinstatement of these therapies. This is not automatic and will take time. We are in active communication with health funds to encourage timely inclusion and clarity for practitioners and clients alike. In the meantime, we have published updates, reached out to insurers directly, and encouraged members to refer to the health fund table available via the ATMS website for the latest status.
This win demonstrates the power of sustained, sector-wide advocacy. It also reinforces the need for a strong, clear voice for the natural medicine profession— one that is backed by data, driven by collaboration, and rooted in professional integrity.
In addition to this, our Committee has maintained a strong focus on equity and workplace reform. In April, we prepared and submitted a detailed response to the Fair Work Commission as part of its Gender Undervaluation – Priority Awards Review. Our submission focused on the Health Professionals and Support Services( HPSS) Award 2020, which currently fails to provide any dedicated classification or wage alignment for allied natural health professionals such as naturopaths, remedial massage therapists, nutritionists, and herbalists etc.
We highlighted that many of our members— most of whom are women— are employed under awards that do not reflect their training, scope of practice, or professional responsibilities. This contributes to structural pay inequities and places long-term pressure on practitioners, small businesses, and the quality of care available to the community.
Our proposal recommended the formal inclusion of a new category under the HPSS Award—“ Allied Natural Health Professionals”— with a tiered classification system based on qualification levels. We also proposed wage alignment in line with existing benchmarks used in other health professions. This work is about fairness, but it’ s also about professional recognition and sustainability for our workforce. The submission is now under review, and I will be continuing discussions with COSBOA( Council of Small Business Organisations Australia) to ensure our members’ interests are represented in policy reform conversations.
Another major piece of work under way is the development of our Naturally Informed White Papers. These have been designed to support member understanding of key regulatory topics, including the National Code of Conduct for Healthcare Workers, health fund recognition, TGA compliance, client complaints, and the national health regulatory framework, and much more. These papers aim to address confusion, support ethical practice, and provide practical resources for practitioners navigating a complex and sometimes misunderstood regulatory environment.
Each document has been carefully reviewed and is currently undergoing final feedback and approval by the Regulatory Committee. Once published, they will be available through the member portal and supported by short explainer videos and optional CPD-linked activities. These resources will also be helpful tools for internal teams such as the Complaints Committee, and may serve as reference material in public advocacy and member education.
The committee has also been working on a TGA compliance project, particularly in response to the recent review of Wild Cherry Bark. When inconsistent information emerged between our draft press release and that of another professional association, we paused our communication and sought clarification. It’ s vital that our messaging is accurate and grounded in regulatory facts, particularly when it affects practitioner confidence and product compliance. We are now exploring opportunities for joint press releases and industry alignment in future responses to regulatory decisions. A detailed TGA Compliance Guide for members is also being scoped, alongside legal review options to ensure robustness.
On the disability services front, our advocacy regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme( NDIS) continues. We have drafted a submission proposing the inclusion of acupuncture under the NDIS, which is currently under review by the ATMS Chinese Medicine Committee. We are now working toward a second, stand-alone submission for massage therapy. These therapies have clear benefits for people with disability and deserve to be accessible under national funding schemes. At this stage we will be collecting scientific evidence to justify the benefits of acupuncture and massage for people with a disablitiy. We will continue to push for their inclusion through evidencebased, practitioner-informed submissions.
To ensure our work remains member-driven, we have been aligning our advocacy priorities within the Monday. com platform. This system allows us to track policy issues by modality— naturopathy, Chinese medicine, massage, and nutrition— alongside supporting data, submissions, and timelines. It’ s helping us be more agile, transparent, and strategic in the way we prioritise our work and report back to members.
Finally, I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this work— whether through feedback, expert advice, research, or participation in forums and committees. Advocacy is most powerful when it reflects the real voices of practitioners, and I remain committed to making sure those voices continue to be heard.
JATMS | Winter 2025 | 95