Speech Pathology priorities
for the Australian Government

Speech Pathology Australia welcomes the re-elected Government and all Members of Parliament and Senators.

We look forward to working together to improve access to speech pathology across health, disability, early childhood, education, and aged care.

Communication is a fundamental human right and the first 5 years of a child’s life are vital for speech, language, and communication development. These early skills lay the foundation for success in school, work, and relationships later in life.

However, in Australia, 1 in 5 children are not developmentally on track with their communication skills when they start school.

Children who start school behind often stay behind. Early access to speech pathology care can change lives, improve outcomes and reduce long-term costs to individuals, families, and communities.

Speech Pathology Australia recommends the following critical actions to ensure no child is left behind and young people receive the support they need.

  1. Further expand access to speech pathology services through Medicare’s Chronic Disease Management plan and increase rebates at least to keep pace with inflation.
  2. Fund access to speech pathology services in early childhood education and care centres in areas of greatest socioeconomic disadvantage.
  3. Ensure continued access to care - support speech pathologist recruitment and retention:
  • expand the Commonwealth Prac Payment to include speech pathology students, and
  • support sustainable speech pathology services with fair NDIS pricing.
Read our plan here.

The 2025-26 federal Budget provided Medicare funding to improve access to speech pathology services for children and young people with some speech and language disorders, including stuttering, speech sound disorders (SSDs) and cleft lip and/or palate. This key step needs to be actioned along with other measures to boost access.

Learn more about this measure here.

Your insights have shaped our advocacy priorities

In November 2024, we surveyed our members to understand your advocacy priorities ahead of the 2025 federal election. Your insights have shaped our advocacy priorities. Here are the survey results.

  Spread the word

Download our digital kit and help spread the word on social media.

Digital kit

Here are images and suggested captions to help you create social media posts to support SPA’s advocacy priorities.

Feel free to adjust the wording to suit your style or audience. Every share helps raise awareness and start important conversations for the future of speech pathology.

Don’t forget to tag Speech Pathology Australia in your posts.

Thank you for spreading the message!

 Download the kit here.

 

The Medicare Chronic Disease Management plan only allows 5 allied health sessions per year – families shouldn’t be forced to choose between much-needed therapies.

I’m calling on the Australian Government to commit to expanding Medicare funding for children and young people with communication and swallowing needs – because everyone should have access to the care they need.

🔗 https://bit.ly/43pibq6

#KidsDeserveToCommunicate #AusPol

 

Early intervention changes lives. I’m backing Speech Pathology Australia’s call for speech pathologists in early childhood education and care centres in areas of high socioeconomic need to ensure children get the support they need where they are, giving them the best start in life.

🔗 https://bit.ly/43pibq6

#KidsDeserveToCommunicate #AusPol

 

Invest in the future of the speech pathology workforce.

I support Speech Pathology Australia’s call to include speech pathology students in the Commonwealth Prac Payment program, so that financial barriers don’t stand in the way of completing their studies.

🔗 https://bit.ly/43pibq6

#KidsDeserveToCommunicate #AusPol

 

I’m calling for fair NDIS pricing limits to support sustainable speech pathology services for continued access to care

🔗 https://bit.ly/43pibq6

#KidsDeserveToCommunicate #AusPol