DEFENCE MEMBERS AND VETS DESERVE BETTER
The Federal Member for Herbert, Phillip Thompson, recently called out the Federal Labor Government for its recent budget capping the annual amount available for DVA veterans for Allied Health (AH) treatments (from 1 July 2026).
His response is laudable, and I support him on that.
But Mr Thompson also should demand ALL serving Defence members and veterans have access to remedial massage as part of their health entitlements when physical bodywork therapy is required.
I am aware this will never be allowed because of Australia’s corrupt health system (a story on its own; quick clue: follow the money!).
But someone needs to take a stand and keep highlighting how ludicrous, costly and often ineffective is the current system that leaves many members and vets with chronic pain.
Elite athletes, including Olympians, recognise the value of remedial massage to improve their performance and reduce injuries. Defence members often train harder and longer.
Apparently, massage is not good enough for our military personnel and veterans who have done or are prepared to put their lives on the line for their country – not to just win some sporting fame and fortune.
If governments want to save money, many of the exorbitantly priced and often useless AH bodywork treatments and monitoring (not my words – those of many clients) could be replaced with significantly cheaper, more thorough and beneficial remedial massages.
Most AH physical therapists just focus on small areas of the body that were injured or are causing chronic pain – because that is what Defence and DVA dictates and only allows.
It highlights how little these bureaucrats and other decision makers know about human anatomy and physiology.
Or about the extensive study, training, ongoing education and other high standards required for a remedial massage therapist to gain Government-approved Health Fund rebate provider status.
AH treatments are essential, particularly initially post injury, surgery, disease or other trauma.
But much of the chronic, unresolved pain that often follows results from only being treated within the authorised areas in the first place.
Bigger picture remedial massage should have been given rather than the AH narrow focus treatments just on the symptomatic area or where only home-based exercises were used for rehabilitation.
It’s not just the cost of treatments that matters. When serving members are medically discharged because they have not recovered fully from injury or surgery, the hundreds of thousands of dollars it costs to train each one is also wasted.
Over many years I have massaged, at their own expense, numerous serving Defence members and DVA vets who have found remedial massage significantly more beneficial than the treatment they received as part of their entitlements.
This is not criticism of AH therapists. Everyone has a role to play. It is the “system” that needs a massive overhaul.
After 13 years as a Townsville Bulletin journalist (often covering Defence), four years as an Army Reservist, 18 years as the owner and editor of a Townsville Defence community newspaper, and 35 years (20 full time) as a massage therapist, my opinion is based on real experience and feedback from thousands of people.
I’m based in Mount Louisa, Townsville.
To find out more about my approach to treatment and why it works, check out some of the articles on the Articles/Blog page of my website www.davidhallmassage.com and/or visit my David Hall Massage Therapy Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Massagician
If you believe members and vets should be entitled to remedial massage, you should contact Mr Thompson at [email protected] or your local Federal Member and make your views known.
Like us on facebook