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FACT SHEET
HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION NATIONAL LAW
(TASMANIA) BILL 2009
The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) Bill 2009 (the Bill) adopts
the Schedule to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 of
Queensland as a law of Tasmania. It enables Tasmania to enter and participate in the
National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for Health Professions (the
Scheme).
Under the Scheme, registration and accreditation functions that were previously
carried out by State registration authorities will be carried out by new national
boards for each profession. This Bill abolishes the laws establishing the Tasmanian
registration authorities and transfers their powers to a new national agency.
The Bill provides that property that is transferred to the new national agency in
accordance with the national law is exempt from the Duties Act 2001.
The Bill provides that the Minister can direct an existing Tasmanian registration
authority to do or hand over certain things that will assist in the transition to the
Scheme.
The national law provides that a national board may request certain criminal history
information about a health professional from a police service in a State or Territory.
The Bill gives the Tasmanian Police Commissioner the authority to release criminal
history information within the meaning of the national law to a national board (or to
the police service of another State or Territory).
The Bill also contains provisions of a savings and transitional nature. These
provisions ensure that certain declarations under existing Tasmanian laws continue
to operate after the commencement of the national law. They also ensure that if a
complaint against a practitioner was made before the commencement of the Scheme,
that the complaint continues to be dealt with appropriately after commencement.
The Bill provides that an existing Board is still responsible for delivering an annual
report into its finances for the period leading up to and including, commencement of
the Scheme.
The Bill clarifies that references in other Tasmanian law to registered health
professionals does not extend to persons who have been registered as students or
non-practising registrants under the national law.
Finally, the Bill contains a number of Schedules of legislation that will be repealed,
revoked or rescinded following commencement of the Scheme.