It is time for Chinese Medicine to stand shoulder to shoulder with other allied health providers. We demand its rightful inclusion in Medicare’s Chronic Disease Management program. Patients deserve access to the full spectrum of care, and our nation deserves a health system that embraces both tradition and innovation.  

Chinese Medicine is not optional, it is essential.  

Together, let us unite and ensure that every Australian living with chronic illness can benefit from the wisdom, effectiveness, and compassion of Chinese Medicine. 

Chinese Medicine of Australia Inc. also known as CMA Inc, is a not for profit organization dedicated to safeguarding, advancing, and integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) within Australia’s healthcare system. Guided by visionary leaders and supported by committed practitioners, patients, and advocates, we strive to ensure that TCM is recognized, respected, and embraced as an essential part of the nation’s Allied Health professions.

Our mission is to:

• Champion inclusion of Chinese medicine into Medicare and the Chronic Disease Management plan, creating a fair, efficient, and diverse healthcare system that empowers Australians to choose the care that best serves their health.

• Protect and strengthen the integrity of Chinese medicine by advocating for supportive policies, professional standards, and equal recognition alongside mainstream biomedical models.

• Inspire unity and growth within the profession by fostering collaboration among practitioners, students, patients, and enthusiasts, ensuring a strong foundation for future generations.

• Promote awareness and trust in the effectiveness, affordability, and holistic benefits of Chinese medicine, contributing to the wellbeing of individuals and the sustainability of Australia’s healthcare system.

Together, we envision a future where Chinese medicine flourishes in Australia — a future where its wisdom and effectiveness are fully integrated into national health policy, enriching lives and strengthening communities.

CMA was founded in response to a growing crisis in the recognition and regulation of TCM within Australia’s healthcare system. Despite TCM’s century-long presence and increasing public support, practitioners faced systemic barriers: exclusion from Medicare, restrictions on key herbal medicines, and widespread misappropriation of acupuncture by unqualified providers.

CMA emerged as a grassroots movement of committed practitioners, patients, and advocates, united by the urgent need to protect the integrity of Chinese medicine and secure its rightful place within Australia’s Allied Health framework. The association was born not from convenience, but from conviction — a collective stand to preserve a tradition, empower a profession, and serve the public good.

CMA’s founding vision is bold and transformative:

• To integrate Chinese medicine into Australia’s national healthcare system, beginning with inclusion in the Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan under Medicare.

• To restore fairness and legitimacy to the profession by reforming outdated regulatory structures and protecting the scope of practice.

• To build a future where Australians can freely access TCM as part of a diverse, efficient, and equitable healthcare system.

This vision is not only about policy — it’s about honouring the wisdom of Chinese medicine, empowering practitioners, and serving communities with holistic, affordable care.