Volunteers working with vulnerable Tasmanians will no longer have to pay for their registration cards from today, as the state government moves to remove a key financial barrier to community participation.
The Registration to Work with Vulnerable People will be free for volunteers from 1 January 2026 under a two-year trial.
The card, which currently costs around $133, has been identified as a significant deterrent for potential volunteers.
“It can be a significant cost for volunteer-involved organisations who don’t have the funding to support people to get a volunteer card,” Volunteering Tasmania chair Sarah Wilcox said.
The fee normally falls on volunteers themselves to pay.
Premier Rockliff made the announcement aboard the SV Rhona H, Tasmania’s oldest and smallest working tall ship, which relies on 36 volunteers to stay afloat.
“Volunteers make an essential contribution to our community and we are supporting them to make it cheaper and easier to do their important work,” he said.
Tasmania has more than 332,000 volunteers, making it the state’s largest workforce.
Many engage with vulnerable people across emergency services, arts, sports and tourism sectors, requiring them to hold the registration.
“We are … making it cheaper and easier for more people to get involved in volunteering,” Rockliff said.
“This two-year initiative is also an important cost-of-living measure, reducing expenses for our volunteers.”
Julie Potter, co-owner of the SV Rhona H, said the card requirement had already deterred some potential volunteers.
“We’ve had some that have said no, we actually can’t afford it. It’s too expensive,” she said.
The ship’s volunteers range from 18 to over 70 years old and include nurses, teachers and artists who learn traditional sailing skills.
Potter, who also works as a nurse and holds a professional registration card, said the change would make a significant difference.
Minister for Community and Multicultural Affairs Madeleine Ogilvie said the change would deliver significant community benefits.
“The 2023 State of Volunteering Report showed that for every $1 invested in volunteering, $4.80 is returned in benefits to the community,” she said.
The $300,000 government investment will be assessed after the two-year trial period.
