Motion Tabled – Government Response to UTAS Committee Report Overdue

June 23, 2026

The Hon. Meg Webb MLC tabled the following motion in the Legislative Council on Tuesday 23 June 2026.

The Motion has not yet been debated – stay tuned for that update at a later date!:

I (Ms Webb) give Notice that tomorrow I shall move –

(1) That the Legislative Council notes:

(a) That the Final Report of the Select Committee Inquiry into the Provisions of the University of Tasmania Act 1992 was tabled on the 23 December 2024;

(b) The Final Report provided 19 Recommendations plus an overarching recommendation that: “As a priority, the Government conduct a comprehensive review of the University of Tasmania Act 1992, including matters specified in recommendations in this report, and promptly legislate the results of that review”;

(c) Further, that the Final Report was considered and noted by the Council on 1 April 2025;

(d) During the debate of 1 April 2025, the Minister noted two pieces of national work being undertaken, the Australian Government Expert Governance Council’s recommendations to Education Ministers expected in mid-2025 and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency new guidance and reporting requirements for universities, stating that, “it is important to wait for these federal recommendations prior to determining the next steps for our state-based legislation”;

(2) That the Legislative Council further notes that:

(a) The Expert Council on University Governance, formerly referred to as the Expert Governance Council, presented its Final Report and Principles to Education Ministers in mid-2025, with the report formally considered by the Ministers at their meeting on 17 October 2025;

(b) The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency released its updated Statement of Regulatory Expectations: Compliance with workplace obligations in May 2025; and

(c) Despite both pieces of work completed and released since last year, the government has still not provided a formal response to the Select Committee Inquiry’s Final Report;

(3) That the Legislative Council also notes the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee tabled its Final Report on the Quality of governance at Australian higher education providers, on 11 December 2025, which is highly relevant to the University of Tasmania and its Act;

(4) And that the Legislative Council calls on the Tasmanian government to:

(a) Provide a formal and comprehensive response in the Parliament to the Select Committee Inquiry into the Provisions of the University of Tasmania Act 1992 Final Report, which specifically addresses all findings and recommendations made; and

(b) Deliver that response before the Parliament rises at the end of this calendar year.

Meg’s motion is again calling for the Rockliff government to provide a formal response to the Final Report of the Select Committee Inquiry into the Provisions of the University of Tasmania Act 1992 which was tabled on the 23 December 2024. You can see an earlier debate noting that report held on 1 April 2025 here.

View text of Meg’s motion as tabled on 23 June 2026 below or as a pdf here:-