Question on notice and response from Minister Palmer, School Laboratory Techs, 28 and 29 October 26

Question from Ms Thomas, 28 October 2026: Minister, following my questions yesterday about the discontinuation of TasTAFE's laboratory technology courses, I've discovered that the Department of Education has recently changed the Statement of Duties for school laboratory technicians. Previously, applicants were required to have a Certificate III or IV in Laboratory Techniques or an equivalent TAFE or post-secondary qualification. The revised Statement of Duties now expressly allows applicants to demonstrate equivalent skills, knowledge and experience instead. Minister, when and why was this change made? Was it connected to the decision to discontinue TasTAFE's laboratory technology courses? And how can you guarantee this change will not result in less qualified staff being appointed to work independently in school laboratories? Minister Palmer, 29 October 2026: Mr President, I have an answer to a question that I took on notice yesterday for the honourable member for Elwick about the Department for Education, Children and Young People changing the statement of duties for school laboratory technicians. There were a number of questions in there, in particular asking for a guarantee that the changes will not result in less qualified staff being appointed to work independently in school laboratories. Mr President, on indulgence, I can answer that now. I am advised that the essential requirements detailed in this statement of duties was updated last month as the existing wording was outdated and open to inconsistent interpretation. The department's formally approved qualifications dated back to 1996 and no longer clearly reflected contemporary qualifications. In particular, there were instances where candidates with relevant higher-level qualifications, such as a Bachelor of Science, did not technically meet the requirement, although they were clearly capable of doing the work. As such, the department chose to update requirements to clarify the qualifications that can be recognised and support consistent recruitment decisions. According to the updated statement of duties, the essential requirements for school laboratory technicians are one of the following: • A Certificate III or IV in Laboratory Techniques; • A diploma or advanced diploma; • An associate degree, bachelor's degree or higher qualification in a discipline relevant to the duties of the position; or • Demonstrated equivalent skills, knowledge and experience relevant to the role. As already stated, this update was a modernisation and clarification of the requirement, it was not a reduction in the qualification standard.