EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGISTS FLEX AND GROW AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN ADELAIDE ESSA calls out growing GST anomaly in Allied Health impacting community and sector
With
Katie Lyndon,
Accredited Exercise Physiologist & CEO
Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA)
Jackson Howie,
Activate Conference Speaker & PhD Candidate,
Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, Adelaide University
SEGMENT
Filmed in Adelaide | May 2026
Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) this week in Adelaide convened the Activate Conference billed as “where science meets inspiration”, bringing together the latest research, breakthrough ideas and real-world applications from across exercise and sports science.
As a PhD Candidate and Activate Conference speaker, Jackson Howie spoke to Australian Health Journal to share his experience following Day 2 talking about Accuracy of Pacemaker-Detected Physical Activity: Correlation to Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing.
Australian Health Journal also spoke with Katie Lyndon, Accredited Exercise Physiologist & CEO Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) about some key messages being communicated in the recently launched Axe The Tax campaign.
When GST was introduced in 2000, healthcare was made tax-free. Exercise physiology was left off the list because it was an emerging field.
Under current legislation, exercise physiology is still subject to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). That means Australians pay an extra 10% every time they see an exercise physiologist, even though its recognised by Medicare, the DVA, NDIS, and private health insurers.
Lyndon talks about what this means in higher costs for patients managing chronic illness and injury, keeping in place barriers to access for vulnerable communities and being a disincentive to use effective, preventive care for the community.
The petition can be found here https://gst.good.do/axethetax/axe-the-tax-on-essential-healthcare.
Source: Adapted from social media posts and transcript
Credit: Instagram clips from Longevity Exercise Physiology, Exercise Healthcare Australia & Mitchell Vautin, Clinical Accredited Exercise Physiologist
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Strengthening Evidence Through Health Research Where Most People Access Healthcare
In February 2025, the Australian Government committed over $22 million for primary care research, including $5.2m awarded to Professor Michael Kidd, Director of the International Centre for Future Health Systems at UNSW and recently appointed Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, to lead the establishment of one of the largest research collaborations in Australia focused on improving primary care.
The Royal Australian College of GPs says a new national multidisciplinary consortium for primary care research is a positive step forward to improve patient care.
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Recognising service in health regulation
In April 2023, Professor John Skerritt retired from his position of Deputy Secretary Health Products Regulation Group, a role he has been in since 2012. During his time at the TGA he had line responsibility for over 1200 staff involved in the regulation of therapeutic goods, regulation of gene technology and industrial chemicals and control of drug import, export and production.
At this year’s ARCS 2023 Conference, ARCS Australia CEO Dr Shanny Dyer paid tribute to Professor Skerritt and his service to the Australian health industry. She led a tribute with fellow industry heads, Elizabeth de Somer, CEO, Medicines Australia, Anne Harris, Managing Director, Pfizer Australia & New Zealand, Deon Schoombie, CEO, Consumer Healthcare Products Australia, Ian Burgess, CEO, Medical Technology Association of Australia and Arthur Brandwood, President ARCS Australia.
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Child Dental Benefits Schedule needing greater awareness
Since its launch in 2014, the Child Dental Benefits Schedule has seen a gradual increase in participation year on year. The impact of COVID-19 and related shutdowns saw participation fall sharply in 2020. Though it increased 2021, the national target of 41% participation was not reached in 2021-2022, with the total (35.4%) more than three percent below 2018 participation rates.
In an opinion segment, Australian Health Journal spoke with Abano Healthcare Group Clinical Director, Dr Fred Calavassy, with over 30 years of clinical experience, about his observations of the Child Dental Benefits Scheme ways to increasing participation rates.
