On Wednesday 11 March 2026, after five years of work, ARONAH is proud to announce that, together with members of the Australian Naturopathic Council (ANC) and collaborating organisations, we have lodged a submission to government, for statutory registration.
This initiative has a long history, dating back to 2005 when the Victorian Government, following the release of the Lin Report, recommended the registration of naturopaths and Western herbalists alongside Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners. TCM was subsequently registered, with naturopathy next in line. However, the establishment of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) placed all further registrations on hold for a period.
In response, ARONAH was formed in 2010 to establish professional standards, and a practitioner register in the absence of statutory registration. The profession’s first education standards and Code of Conduct were developed in 2013.
Over the years, ARONAH held numerous meetings with government officials and advisers, consistently referencing the Lin Report. In 2019, it became clear that the report, by then 15 years old, required updating. To support this, the ANC was established as a formal collaboration mechanism for Australian members of the World Naturopathic Federation. One of its first priorities was to update and expand the Lin Report to reflect significant changes in the naturopathic landscape.
Led by ARONAH, funding for this work was secured in late 2020 through a $20,000 crowdfunding campaign, matched dollar-for-dollar by Marcus Blackmore. This enabled the engagement of an independent consultant, Dr Anne-Louise Carlton, and her research team. Dr Carlton had previously played a key role in the successful registration of the TCM profession.
By mid-2025, following the completion of 10 chapters and 234 pages of research, the Carlton report: Assuring Safe and Integrated Health Care: A Review of the Risks, Benefits, and Regulatory Requirements for the Professions of Naturopathy and Western Herbal Medicine, was finalised.
The report conducted a thorough analysis of the risks, benefits, workforce considerations, educational standards, and regulatory requirements associated with naturopathy and Western herbal medicine in Australia. The findings indicate that these professions are widely used among the Australian population, present identifiable and significant risks that are comparable to those of other regulated health professions, and would benefit from national regulation designed to enhance public safety and ensure greater accountability.
The report’s findings were then translated into a formal submission to government in line with AHMAC criteria and concluded that statutory regulation is applicable, feasible, and warranted, with public benefits outweighing potential costs. This process is now complete, and the submission has been distributed to all Health Ministers and relevant government officials.
We have now entered the advocacy phase and are seeking your support. Over the coming months, we will be actively lobbying for statutory registration under the NRAS. We ask all ARONAH members to contact their state and federal local MPs to request consideration of our application, particularly if your local member holds a health portfolio.
ARONAH can provide a template email (which you may personalise) and copies of both the government submission and the Carlton Report. We ask that you also send them a copy of the submission, and the Carlton report with your email. Where possible, an ARONAH Board member can also attend meetings you arrange with your MP or their advisers.
Your support is vital to the future of our profession. After years of hard work, we have finally reached the pivotal moment, the opportunity to secure statutory registration for naturopathy and Western herbal medicine in Australia. This is our time to stand together and make a meaningful difference. Let’s seize this opportunity and drive positive change for our profession and all Australians who rely on our care.
Copy of the Carlton report: Assuring Safe and Integrated Health Care: A Review of the Risks, Benefits, and Regulatory Requirements for the Professions of Naturopathy and Western Herbal Medicine