Issue 1.  Dry Needling / Western Acupuncture is not regulated. The national Law states that the public need to be informed and protected.  Dry needling/ Western Acupuncture is Acupuncture.  We do not believe the public is fully informed nor protected when Acupuncture and dry needling/ Western Acupuncture which are other names for acupuncture are performed by Health providers, registered or non-registered with no training required by the national Board.  Acupuncturists do between 600 - 1000 clinical hours of training.  Other health practitioners complete a 8 - 16 hour course with no clinical training. As a matter of urgency please sign to protect the public from dry needling/western acupuncture and allow only licensed Acupuncturists registered with the Chinese Medicine Board and Medical Practitioners to legally perform this powerful and invasive technique. As it stands now anyone can do dry needling - your next door neighbor can.

Issue 2. The inclusion of registered Acupuncturists into Medicare's Allied Health Scheme. Acupuncture became registered in 2012.  Although Acupuncturists are registered primary care allied health providers, they remain excluded from the scheme. This appears to be a discrimination.  The exclusion of registered Acupuncturists from providing acupuncture under Medicare, and DVA undermines the principles of the National Law and underutilises a valuable component of Australia's health workforce, reducing user choice and access to services.