President’ s Report
Rebecca Lang | ATMS President
As we move through the middle of 2025, I continue to feel deeply encouraged by the direction our profession is heading. There is a noticeable shift in energy, not only within ATMS but across the broader natural medicine community. I’ ve had the privilege of speaking with so many of you in recent months, and there’ s a shared sense of purpose and hope that is growing stronger each day.
One of the most significant developments has been the Federal Government’ s acceptance of the NTREAP recommendations to reinstate seven natural therapies under private health insurance. While there is still a process ahead— each health fund will need to work through the reintroduction individually— this decision is an enormous step forward. It marks a turning point after years of collective advocacy by associations across the sector. So much time, energy, and dedication have gone into reaching this point, and it reflects a shared commitment to advancing the recognition and credibility of natural medicine in Australia.
What makes this achievement especially meaningful is that it wasn’ t driven by one voice or one organisation. It was the result of collaboration across the profession, standing together and advocating consistently for what we know makes a difference in people’ s lives. It’ s a proud moment for us all.
As President, one of my priorities this year has been to stay connected to the membership in real and practical ways.
In March and April, I hosted two Meet the President webinars, with nearly 500 registrations for the first and over 400 for the second. These sessions provided a valuable opportunity to speak directly with members about the issues that matter, to clarify points of confusion, and to share updates on the direction ATMS is taking. I’ ve been genuinely heartened by your engagement, thoughtful questions, and the trust you continue to place in our leadership.
To support even more open communication, we created a Facebook message group where members can ask questions, raise concerns, and connect with each other. This space has become an important tool for ongoing dialogue, and we’ ll continue to offer opportunities like this to make sure you feel heard and supported by your association.
I’ m also really looking forward to connecting with many of you in person at our upcoming Business Success Weekends. These events are being held in Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Brisbane and are designed to provide practical support for building and sustaining a successful clinic. Whether you’ re just starting out or have been in practice for years, these weekends offer real tools, industry insights, and a chance to recharge professionally. I’ ll be attending alongside our CEO, Annie Gibbins, and we both warmly invite you to come along, introduce yourself, and have a chat. You can register on the website under events.
As Chair of the Regulatory Committee, I was involved in the preparation of a submission of a formal response to the Fair Work Commission’ s Gender Undervaluation – Priority Awards Review. You can read more on this in the Regulatory Committee update I have also written in this edition of the journal.
Another highlight this year was hosting our Lipoedema Symposium in Sydney. The event brought together practitioners and researchers passionate about improving awareness and care for people affected by this often misunderstood condition. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and it reinforced how important these opportunities for collaboration and education are for our growth as a profession.
I also want to acknowledge the commitments made for Natural Medicine Week 2025, with over 20 webinars held by ATMS, and our members and ambassadors showcasing the power of natural health through workshops, open days, and educational content. Your creativity, generosity, and commitment to public engagement made a real impact— thank you.
There is so much happening behind the scenes as well. Annie Gibbins continues to lead a range of operational improvements that are modernising and strengthening the organisation— from technology upgrades and digital communication tools to increased sponsorship and education partnerships.
64 | vol31 | no2 | JATMS