The Federation of Natural and Traditional Therapist Ltd (FNTT) consists of a number of professional associations representing arrange of natural and traditional therapists in Australia.

Predecessor of the FNTT: The Forum

The first meeting of the Forum was held in July 1991 in Sydney. This meeting was attended by representatives of the Australian Natural Therapists Association (ANTA), Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS), National Conference of Natural Therapies Committee, Australian Committe of Natural Therapies (ACONT) and the National Herbalists Association of Australia (NHAA). The FNTT which replaced the Natural Therapists Forum was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee (ACN 073 655 311) with the Australian Securities Commission in April 1996, The Federation holds it regular meetings in Adelaide.

Why was the Federation Formed?

In June 1991 the Therapeutic Goods Administration requested that Schedule 1 Associations develop a minimal educational standard so that suppliers of therapeutic goods and therapeutic devices could identify bonafide practitioners.

The identification of properly qualified practitioners is a legal requirement for suppliers to be able to advertise therapeutic goods to herbalists, homoeopaths, naturopaths, aromatherapists, nutritionists, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and trichologists.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration made this request in response to the Trade Practices Commission Report on Self-Regulation of Promotion and Advertising of Therapeutic Goods. The Commission's report criticised the suggested self-regulatory mechanism. As a result, the Federation developed and set educational standards for practitioners A workable and cost effective mechanism whereby bonafide practitioners could easily be identified.

The FNTT Today

The FNTT, although still encompassing schedule 1 Associations, has expanded its membership to include other natural and traditional therapy associations. This has made the FNTT the representative body of a wide variety of natural and traditional therapies professional in Australia.