Tasmania opens consultation on major overhaul of teacher registration laws

The Tasmanian Government has released the draft Teachers Registration Bill 2026 for public consultation, proposing changes to the state’s teacher registration framework designed to strengthen child safety, modernise professional standards and recognise the role of early childhood teachers in early childhood education and care settings.

Minister for Education Jo Palmer said the draft legislation would improve the way teachers are registered in Tasmania and ensure the law remains contemporary and fit for purpose.

“Teachers play a vital role in shaping the lives of children and young people, which is why it’s so important our teacher registration system is modern, clear and works as it should,” Minister Palmer said.

“Our Government is delivering for Tasmanians by improving the education system to better meet the needs of children and young people, keep them safe, and prepare them for the future.”

A central feature of the draft Bill is the implementation of protections arising from the Commission of Inquiry, with the Government saying the changes will help ensure children and young people are safer by covering all forms of abuse.

The reforms are intended to strengthen the registration framework across learning environments, including schools and early childhood settings, and reinforce expectations that teachers meet appropriate professional and child safety standards.

For the early childhood education and care sector, the inclusion of early childhood teachers is particularly significant, reflecting the increasingly recognised role of qualified teachers in supporting children’s learning, development and safety in the years before school.

Under the proposed legislation, university-qualified early childhood teachers working in early childhood education and care settings would be registered alongside school teachers.

The Government said the change recognises the important role early childhood teachers play in teaching Tasmania’s youngest children.

The move also places early childhood teachers more clearly within Tasmania’s broader teaching profession, supporting greater consistency in professional expectations across education settings.

The draft Bill also proposes a series of changes designed to align Tasmania’s teacher registration system with national standards.

These include requiring teachers to undertake 100 hours of professional development every five years, formalising the work teachers already do to maintain the currency of their professional knowledge.

The Bill would also require provisional teachers to gain full registration within five years, with exceptions, while recognising the initial registration period as a time of learning and support.

Other proposed changes include streamlining the process for teachers to transition from provisional to full registration, and introducing a new non-practising category of registration. This would allow fully registered teachers to maintain their registration while not working in direct teaching roles.

Together, the proposed reforms aim to create a clearer and more contemporary registration system while maintaining a focus on teacher quality, professional accountability and child safety.

The Tasmanian Government is inviting feedback on the draft Teachers Registration Bill 2026 from teachers, education leaders, early childhood providers, families, unions, professional bodies and the broader community.

Consultation closes on 2 June 2026.

Submissions can be made by email to [email protected] or by mail to Government Relations and Strategic Legislation, GPO Box 169, Hobart TAS 7001.

Further information, including the draft Bill and consultation materials, is available on the Department for Education, Children and Young People website.