Regulatory Update
Application for statutory registration submitted to government
ARONAH, together with members of the Australian Naturopathic Council and collaborating organisations, has lodged a formal submission seeking statutory registration of naturopathy and Western herbal medicine under Australia’s National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.
Contemporary evidence on the professions, public risk, education and regulation was examined.
The evidence was considered against the national criteria used when assessing additional regulated health professions.
The completed submission was provided to Health Ministers and relevant government officials.
Regulatory Development
How we got here
The case for statutory regulation predates the establishment of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. The Victorian Government’s Lin Report examined the risks and regulatory requirements of naturopathy and Western herbal medicine and recommended statutory registration.
By 2019, that evidence was approximately 15 years old. The Australian Naturopathic Council therefore initiated a new research project to examine the professions within the contemporary Australian healthcare and regulatory environment.
ARONAH acted as the commissioning body for the study on behalf of participating ANC member organisations. Funding included a profession-wide crowdfunding campaign and a matched $20,000 contribution from Dr Marcus Blackmore AM.
Lin Report
Government-commissioned research recommends statutory registration.
Research commissioned
Contemporary research begins to update and expand the evidence base.
Carlton Report
A comprehensive regulatory review assesses contemporary evidence.
Submission lodged
The evidence is translated into a formal application to government.
Evidence Base
Research supporting the application
The application is underpinned by contemporary research examining the professions, their use within the Australian community and the regulatory questions relevant to public protection.
Independent Research
Assuring Safe and Integrated Health Care
A Review of the Risks, Benefits, and Regulatory Requirements for the Professions of Naturopathy and Western Herbal Medicine
Published in April 2025, the report examined consumer use, clinical risk, benefits, workforce characteristics, education, professional representation, institutional recognition and regulatory requirements.
The research was commissioned by members of the Australian Naturopathic Council, with ARONAH acting as the commissioning body. A Research Reference Group provided oversight throughout the project.
What the evidence had to establish
The question was not simply whether the professions wanted registration. The evidence needed to address the criteria used by governments when considering inclusion in the National Scheme.
Do the activities of the professions pose identifiable risks to public health and safety?
Do current regulatory arrangements adequately address those risks?
Is statutory regulation possible and practical to implement?
Would the benefits of regulation outweigh its potential costs and impacts?
The purpose of statutory registration is public protection — not the protection of the interests of a profession.
Government Submission
The application
The findings of the research informed the preparation of Assuring Safe and Integrated Health Care: A submission to State, Territory and Federal Governments seeking statutory registration for naturopaths and Western herbalists under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.
The submission concludes that statutory regulation is applicable, feasible and warranted, and that the anticipated public benefits outweigh the potential costs.
On 11 March 2026, the completed submission was distributed to state, territory and federal Health Ministers and relevant government officials.
Assuring Safe and Integrated Health Care: Submission seeking statutory registration under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme
Assuring Safe and Integrated Health Care: A Review of the Risks, Benefits, and Regulatory Requirements for Naturopathy and Western Herbal Medicine
Statutory Registration
A significant milestone in the regulatory development of naturopathy and Western herbal medicine.
The submission brings together contemporary research and regulatory assessment in support of a nationally consistent framework centred on public protection, accountability and professional standards.