A message to our members on registration, advocacy, and where NHAA stands
There has been considerable discussion in recent months across professional forums and social media regarding statuary registration of naturopaths and Western Herbal medicine Practitioners, the ARONAH submission to government, and the position of the NHAA in regard to both these distinct but related topics. Much of what has been circulating is inaccurate. I wanted to take this time to clarify our position and what it means for you, our members.
The NHAA has been a voice for naturopaths and Western herbal medicine practitioners for over 100 years. That advocacy has always been grounded in two things: the highest possible standards for our profession, and the safety and wellbeing of the Australian public. That has not changed.
On the ARONAH submission: what it was, and what it was not
The ARONAH submission that has been the subject of much recent commentary was made to government, to raise awareness among politicians about the current status of naturopaths and Western herbal medicine practitioners within the Australian health landscape. It was not a formal application to Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. APHRA registration is one of several ways a profession can standardise regulation.
We understand that this distinction has not always been made clearly in the public discussion, and we take responsibility for not having communicated our position earlier. We stand by the intent of that engagement i.e. to ensure that government understands who we are and what we contribute, while acknowledging that the conversation around it has, in places, been misleading.
What the NHAA has always stood for
Regulation in some form or another has long been a goal of the naturopathic profession, and NHAA supports that aspiration. We also recognise that the pathway toward formal recognition is not straightforward, and that in the meantime there is critical work to be done. Our focus is and has always been, on pursuing every available pathway toward protection of title, recognition of our practitioners, and the safety of the Australian public.
Protection of title is not a bureaucratic concern. It means that the title ‘naturopath’ or ‘Western herbal medicine practitioner’ should only be used by someone who has completed the rigorous training that the NHAA require. At present, there is no legislative barrier preventing anyone, regardless of their qualifications or clinical competence, from using those titles. That is a genuine risk to the public, and it is a problem the NHAA has been working to address through substantive, evidence-based advocacy for many years.
The work behind the advocacy
Advocacy is one of the most important functions an association can perform, and it is work that the NHAA undertakes every day, in conversations with government, with private health insurers, with universities and regulatory bodies. Much of this work is quiet. It does not generate social media posts or press releases. But it is the work that actually shifts the dial.
Two foundational documents illustrate what this looks like in practice. The Assuring Safe and Integrated Health Care report was developed collaboratively with all associations representing naturopaths and Western herbal medicine practitioners reviewing or contributing to it, and with every recognised training organisation, the universities offering four-year Bachelor or Masters degree standards of education, Torrens University, Endeavour College, Southern Cross University and also ARONAH. It is a collective demonstration to government and key stakeholders of what our practitioners do, how they are trained, and why their contribution to Australian health matters. The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) – Naturopathy, which the NHAA has fully funded, goes further in building the evidence base for the clinical and economic value of naturopathic and herbal medicine care.
These are not symbolic gestures. They are the foundation of a credible, long-term case for the recognition our profession deserves.
The ARONAH submission in 2026 was not the first time that the government has seen the Assuring Safe and Integrated Health Care report. Since its publication it has been integral in the NHAA’s advocacy efforts. We have shared this document with the Department of Health as part of the independent review of complexity in the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme It has also used to support our position for the return of the Private Health Insurance rebates.
It is through the publication of research documents such as these that our professions can be accurately represented to external stakeholders.
On unity and what it actually requires
The NHAA does not benefit from a fractured profession, and neither do our members or the patients they serve. The NHAA recognises that members and practitioners may hold differing perspectives on aspects of registration and regulation. Constructive discussion is both expected and valuable. At the same time, the association remains committed to advocating in ways that support professional standards while respecting the diversity of the profession and those working within it.
The NHAA will continue engaging with stakeholders, members, and regulatory processes in a considered, professional, and transparent manner. We have consistently extended an invitation to all stakeholders, associations, educators, and practitioners, to work collaboratively toward shared goals. That invitation remains open.
What we are not willing to do is allow misinformation to go unchallenged, or to remain silent while inaccurate characterisations of the majority of the profession’s position continue to circulate. Our professions cannot move forward by fighting itself, and it cannot build public trust by broadcasting its internal disagreements. We ask that members apply the same standards of accuracy and professionalism in their public communications that they apply in their clinical practice.
Where we are going
This is not a move away from what naturopathy and Western herbal medicine has always been. It is a move toward something our profession has been working toward for a long time – a framework that matches the quality of training our practitioners and acknowledges the position they have in the Australian healthcare landscape.
What we are asking of you
If you have questions about NHAA’s position on registration, or on anything else please contact the office directly. We would far rather have a direct conversation with you, mainly to ensure that your concerns are heard and can be acted on, and so that you can understand our actual position.
The NHAA exists to serve you, and to serve the profession. We will continue to do that work in the policy meetings, in the submissions to government, in the conversations with health funds and regulators, regardless of the noise. We are not going anywhere.
Hannah Boyd
President, Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia
On behalf of the NHAA Board of Directors.
May 2026