Massage & Myotherapy Australia

Massage & Myotherapy Australia (MMA), legally constituted as the Australian Association of Massage Therapists Limited (AAMT), is a not-for-profit professional association and the peak representative body for massage therapists, remedial massage therapists, and myotherapists in Australia. Headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, the organisation represents more than 8,600 professionally qualified practitioners across the country.

History

The Australian Association of Massage Therapists Limited (AAMT) was established in 2003 following the amalgamation of five major Australian massage associations. The AAMT Constitution was adopted in March 2003 under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), and the organisation is registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee.

In subsequent years, the organisation began trading under the name Massage & Myotherapy Australia to better reflect the breadth of disciplines it represents, encompassing not only massage therapy but also the distinct profession of myotherapy. The constitution has been reviewed on several occasions, most recently in November 2024.

Role and functions

Massage & Myotherapy Australia serves as The Primary advocacy and standards body for its member disciplines. Its core functions include:

  • Setting and maintaining professional standards and a code of ethics for member practitioners
  • Maintaining a public register of qualified member practitioners for consumer referral
  • Providing professional indemnity and public liability insurance pathways for members
  • Facilitating recognition of members as eligible providers with Australian private health funds
  • Advocating for evidence-based practice and policy reform in the natural and allied health sectors
  • Supporting continuing professional development (CPD) for members
  • Administering a complaints and disciplinary process for consumers

Membership

Membership of Massage & Myotherapy Australia is open to practitioners who have completed a recognised course of study in massage therapy and are aged 18 years or over. The organisation offers several categories of membership, including Ordinary membership (Therapeutic, Remedial, and Advanced tiers), Associate (Student) membership, Affiliate, Life, Academic, and Retiring membership categories. Student membership is available at no cost.

Minimum qualification requirements for ordinary membership vary by tier, with the Diploma of Remedial Massage Therapy (HLT52015) widely accepted by the organisation and recognised by major private health funds.

Private health fund recognition

Massage & Myotherapy Australia has established accreditation arrangements with a range of Australian private health funds, enabling eligible members to be automatically registered as providers with those funds. This allows insured patients to claim rebates for treatments provided by MMA members, subject to the individual fund's policies and the practitioner's membership tier and qualifications.

Professional context

Massage and myotherapy in Australia operate in a largely self-regulated environment, with no statutory registration body equivalent to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) governing the professions. As a result, voluntary membership of professional associations such as Massage & Myotherapy Australia plays an important role in setting industry standards, maintaining accountability, and providing consumers with a means of identifying qualified practitioners.

Other professional associations operating in the Australian massage and myotherapy sector include the Association of Massage Therapists (AMT), the Myotherapy Association Australia (MA), and the Australian Natural Therapists Association (ANTA).

See also

  • Myotherapy
  • Massage therapy
  • Remedial massage
  • Allied health professions in Australia
  • Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency