Cath Russell RMT Music Therapy

14/04/2026

“No, you don’t want to hear me sing. Anyway, I wouldn’t know what to sing!”

In the neonatal intensive care unit in hospital, a premature baby settles as their parent hums a familiar melody. But it doesn't always just happen that way. Registered music therapists in this space help families in a scary place at a scary time. Connecting with music therapy can make a big difference – for the whole family. Registered music therapists in the NICU use musical interventions to support parent–baby bonding, improve the healing environment, support babies’ neurodevelopment, help them feel calm and much more.

One of the hospitals in Australia that engages registered music therapists is the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) in South Australia, where Maybelle Swaney RMT and her team provide individual and group support for patients. To connect with music therapy this World Music Therapy Week, you might like to start by reading Maybelle’s wise words on the AMTA website:https://www.austmta.org.au/news-item/17227/music-therapy-in-the-neonatal-intensive-care-unit

📷 A registered music therapist plays guitar to a newborn baby in a crib in the neonatal intensive care unit. Text “connect with music therapy” plus “world music therapy week” and the Australian Music Therapy Association logo.

22/04/2025

The Independent Review of NDIS Funded Music and Art Supports, led by Dr Stephen Duckett, was finalised last week. The report has now been delivered to the National Disability Insurance Agency for consideration.

AMTA welcomes the NDIA's reiteration there have been no changes to the way music therapy is treated under the NDIS, which we hope will help alleviate some of the misunderstanding and anxiety in the disability and music therapy community.

The report is with the NDIA for its consideration, after which it will be published in full, with its response and updated guidance.

Read AMTA's full response on our website: https://www.austmta.org.au/news-item/19077/independent-review-delivers-report-to-ndia



📷 A registered music therapist helps a girl in a wheelchair to reach out for a guitar.

18/12/2024

Last week, AMTA engaged in two disability reform consultations: the national Foundational Supports: General Supports and Foundational Supports: Targeted Supports.

AMTA has long been engaged in consultations about services and supports for people with disability, including National Disability Insurance Agency consultations, the National Autism Strategy, Autism CRC guidelines, and the Early Learning Framework. We welcomed the opportunity to be involved in this process.

Registered music therapists support people with disability to improve their skills, functional outcomes, independence and community participation. Since the start of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), music therapy has delivered therapeutic interventions to support participants to achieve their goals. Beyond the NDIS, music therapy supports people with disability or developmental needs, along with their carers and families, to achieve their goals in the community.

This is a significant time of change for the disability community. AMTA looks forward to contributing to these continuing reforms to build a more inclusive Australia and better support people with disability.



📷 A woman holding a guitar interacts with a person with disability, in a music therapy clinic. Photo credit: Maruša Juvanc from Slovenia, who appeared in a showcase on Slovenian television.

14/12/2024

In the midst of a couple of turbulent weeks for clients and music therapists alike, it's affirming to be sharing this video 💕🎶 Thanks to the amazing Australian musicians and artists who are standing with us

Music therapy belongs in the NDIS as a therapy support... and these acclaimed Australian musicians agree.Artists including Tim Rogers, Bernard Fanning, Stell...

13/12/2024

The Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA) today acknowledges the appointment of Dr Stephen Duckett AM to review the evidence case and pricing of music therapy under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This follows extensive advocacy from our association on behalf of participants, families and our members in recent weeks.

Music therapy is a sector dominated by qualified professional women. Given this, we are disappointed that Minister for the NDIS of Australia Hon. Bill Shorten MP did not appoint women to the review panel alongside Dr Duckett or substantially defer changes to pricing guidelines to help ease anxiety across our sector in the lead-up to the holiday season. However, we will be prudent and thorough in our collaboration with the review process.

To do so adequately, we have requested that Dr Duckett provide copies of the evidence the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) relied on in making its original mistaken decision. Furthermore, we request that he meet with participants, their families and our members to hear first-hand about the positive, transformative work of music therapy professionals across Australia.

The AMTA Board of Directors is currently reviewing the government's terms of reference. We will provide a further update and advice to our members and stakeholders shortly, following further consideration. In the meantime, further information relating to the review can be found in the statement on the NDIS website: https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/10530-independent-review-ndis-funded-music-and-art-supports



📷 Text: "Music therapy belongs in the NDIS". A child and an adult use an electronic keyboard together.

06/12/2024

The AMTA today had a constructive discussion with Minister Bill Shorten in relation to its concerns on behalf of thousands of participants, their families and music therapy professionals.

The Minister acknowledged the importance of music therapy as an evidence-based support and the critical work that our members do to improve functional outcomes for participants. We acknowledge the Minister gave us a fair hearing.

In a positive step forward, Minister Shorten acknowledged the importance and need for a fair and transparent review of music therapy to maintain and ensure the quality of therapeutic services being provided to participants under the NDIS.

We look forward to continuing to be consulted on this issue, including the development of a Terms of Reference for any review and input into a review panel that includes representation by women. The AMTA maintains that more time should be provided to enable a comprehensive review, consultation and decision making. On this basis we maintain there should be no changes to the pricing guidelines until at least July 2025. We anticipate further detail, from the Minister, shortly.

The AMTA is committed to the long-term sustainability of the NDIS and will always put the interests of the participants, their families and our membership first.

📷 Dr Grace Thompson RMT, Minister Bill Shorten MP and Monica Zidar RMT

05/12/2024

journalist Mikayla Van Loon from Mail News spoke with Kim, mother of an NDIS participant and I last week. You can find comprehensive local coverage of rthis issue available across Star News publications #

Read Mail - Ranges Trader Star Mail - 3rd December 2024 by Star News Group on Issuu and browse thousands of other publications on our platform. Sta...

03/12/2024

Today is International Day of People with Disability - Australia (IDPwD). This year's theme is “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future”

The Australian Music Therapy Association is proud to support the 5.5 million Australians who identify as having a disability.

We encourage everyone to celebrate the skills and leadership of people with disability and we advocate for a truly equitable and inclusive society.

On this IDPwD, let’s amplify the voices, skills and leadership of people with disability. Let’s listen and take action to include people with disability in all that we do.

📷 International Day of People with Disability logo

30/11/2024

30/11/2024

AMTA continues to ask that music therapy remain in the NDIS as a therapy support.

Because registered music therapists - just like our allied health colleagues - deliver therapy supports that ensure NDIS participants receive targeted, evidence-based interventions, with individualised and goal-directed interventions specifically designed to address the participant’s functional needs and goals.

Read the article: https://www.austmta.org.au/news-item/17803/music-therapy-is-a-therapeutic-support



📷 A registered music therapist is playing the piano and engaging in communicative intent using music, vocalisations and gesture with a little boy, Danny, who is wearing glasses. Both are making an 'oo' shape and sound with their mouths while leaning over the piano keyboard.

26/11/2024

EDIT: Callers to Bill Shortens office are being told ‘Music Therapy isn’t removed; it’s just moved to social participation’
Running a group of 4 participants for 67%less per client isn’t music therapy. Pleased let him know x
On the bright side..: things are shifting 😊
We have begun to hear comments from MP Bill Shorten in the media. We have a window of time until February to turn this around
Dishearteningly Bill has been misinformed and has made statements to media describing Music Therapy as not evidence based
There is 50 years of evidence based research into the outcomes of Music Therapy
If you have a moment today, we would love you to join our calling campaign and call Minister Bill Shorten’s office between 9am-12pm (midday) today, Wednesday 27 November.
The more people that call, the better!
Some ideas:
1. Express your deep concern and ask Minister Shorten to reverse the decision to remove music therapy as a funded therapeutic support on the full $194 rate.
2. Emphasise that music therapy is evidence-based.
3. Share your music therapy stories.
4. Ask that your concerns be passed onto the Minister and your name and contact details be taken down and recorded. This is so they have a record of the volume of calls.
If this works, the phone lines will be jammed, so if you can’t get through, we suggest trying again at a later time within the window if you can.
Thanks everyone! 💕🎶
Australian Music Therapy Association

25/11/2024

BLINDSIDED
The NDIS has abruptly removed music therapies from their ‘therapeutic supports’ category.
Clients and therapists are being told that funding ends 2nd December. No reasons. No closure.
Thousands of people accessing music therapy across Australia have used their NDIS funding to improve their lives by working on physical, communication, behavioural or social goals.
Thousands of people across Australia are sitting on waitlists for any allied health support and will be sitting there even longer now.
Hundreds of music therapists have spent the weekend wondering how they will tell their clients, pay their rent or mortgage, repay business loans, tell staff that they have no work.
Art therapy is similarly blindsided
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
If you have a moment you can help by
signing our petition (quick click!)
following the link to info from the Australian Music Therapy Association, and writing to your MPs. They might not want to think about it just before Christmas BUT WE HAVE TO
We will fight for the people we work with and for our profession.
https://www.austmta.org.au/news-item/17772/ndis-funding-for-music-therapy-to-be-removed?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR00cSoprTyZadg9NZkGw7fk71-ZNPkYJu8_uKHN9H6X_HWDPLGSY6DIvP8_aem_Y12q9-o50hjCt0vvuu0QeA
Australian Music Therapy Association

On Friday, the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA) discovered that the NDIS will remove music therapy from the Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living category.