Public Safety & Consumer Protection Focus
(Effective for health-portfolio MPs)
Subject: Strengthening public safety through regulation of naturopathy
Dear Honourable Member [Surname],
I am a constituent of your electorate and a member of the Australian Register of Naturopaths and Herbalists (ARONAH). I am writing to seek your support for the statutory registration of naturopathy and Western herbal medicine under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS).
An independent national review—Assuring Safe and Integrated Health Care: A Review of the Risks, Benefits, and Regulatory Requirements for the Professions of Naturopathy and Western Herbal Medicine (Carlton et al., 2025)—found that naturopathy is widely used in Australia and that current self-regulatory arrangements do not provide consistent, enforceable public protection mechanisms.
The report identified that:
- Naturopaths and Western herbalists manage complex clinical presentations, including chronic disease and polypharmacy contexts
- There are recognised and significant risks associated with scope of practice, practitioner competence, and clinical decision-making particularly if delivered by underqualified or unqualified practitioners
- These risks are comparable to those professions regulated under the NRAS
- National registration would enable clear standards, protected titles, complaints handling, and appropriate regulatory oversight
Based on a full assessment against AHMAC regulatory criteria, the report concluded that statutory regulation is both practical and proportionate, and that the public benefits clearly outweigh potential negative impacts.
ARONAH and the Australian Naturopathic Council (ANC) have now formally lodged a submission to government. I encourage you to support consideration of the ARONAH/ANC submission and the inclusion of these professions within NRAS to ensure public safety and health system integrity.
Thank you for your leadership in health policy and for considering this request.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
[Electorate]