Friday, 31st March, 2006

There is no better way to get a wage rise than to limit competition for your job. Just ask the College of Surgeons. So no wonder that the National Herbalist Association is seeking the introduction of legislation to establish a central registration board to oversee herbalists and naturopaths.

Association President John Baxter, having read the lobbyist's textbook, is not presenting his case as being about limiting competition. He naturally prefers to present the case for protecting consumers from unqualified practitioners. "Under current legislation," says Mr Baxter, "anybody can call themselves a herbalist or naturopath, so the general public has no way of distinguishing between a qualified practitioner and a charlatan. We want to see legislation enacted in each state that will establish a central registration board to oversee herbalists and naturopaths. That's the only way to weed out shonky operators."

The Victorian Government will shortly release a report on the qualifications of herbalists and naturopaths prepared by Vivian Lin, the head of La Trobe University's school of public health and invite public comment on the need for registration.