18/09/2025
Hi everybody
The ABA ( Amateur Beekeepers Australia ) has started a petition asking Parliament to introduce an Own Use Exemption (as in New Zealand) so beekeepers can legally use certain non-synthetic treatments on their own hive
Can everybody please sign Petition EN7508 - Legalise Organic Varroa Treatments to Save the Bees and Beekeepers. It will only take a couple of minutes
[https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN7508](https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN7508)
Petition Reason
Varroa destructor is the most significant global threat to honey bees, and its recent spread into Australia has devastated bee populations and disrupted agricultural pollination. Australian law currently prohibits beekeepers from using any treatment that is not formally registered or permitted by the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), even if the treatment is widely used and proven safe and effective overseas. We seek a legislative amendment to allow registered beekeepers to use safe, non-synthetic treatments—such as oxalic acid, formic acid and thymol—on their own hives under an “Own Use Exemption” clause, similar to that adopted inNew Zealand. This exemption would not allow sale or supply to others, but would permit individual beekeepers to make and apply these treatments responsibly to protect their colonies. There is also a growing body of recent scientific research demonstrating that more effective doses and application methods are possible than those listed on currently approved product labels. However, under current law, these improved methods cannot legally be used by Australian beekeepers, despite their success internationally. Allowing an Own Use Exemption would support sustainable beekeeping, reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals, and enhance the resilience ofAustralia’s food systems.
Petition Request
We therefore ask the House to amend legislation governing agricultural and veterinary chemical use to introduce an "Own Use Exemption" clause, allowing beekeepers to legally use certain non-synthetic (organic) treatments—such as oxalic acid, formic acid and thymol—for controlling Varroa mite in their own hives
e-petitions
