Education Legislation Amendment Act 2008

Administered by Department of Education

Legislation au C2008A00142 In force Act

Legislation content

Education Legislation Amendment Act 2008

Act No. 142 of 2008 as amended

This compilation was prepared on 3 March 2010

[This Act was amended by Act No. 8 of 2010]

Amendment from Act No. 8 of 2010

[Schedule 2 (item 4) amended item 9 of Schedule 2

Schedule 2 (item 4) commenced immediately after 1 January 2009]

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
AttorneyGeneral’s Department, Canberra

 

 

Contents

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Schedule(s)

Schedule 1—Indigenous education

Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000

Schedule 2—Amendments consequential on the Schools Assistance Act 2008

Australian Technical Colleges (Flexibility in Achieving Australia’s Skills Needs) Act 2005

Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000

Schools Assistance (Learning Together—Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity) Act 2004

Schedule 3—Repeal of the States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Act 2000

Schedule 4—Technical amendment

Schools Assistance (Learning Together—Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity) Act 2004

 

An Act to amend the law relating to education, and for related purposes

[Assented to 9 December 2008]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

  This Act may be cited as the Education Legislation Amendment Act 2008.

2  Commencement

 (1) Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

 

Commencement information

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Provision(s)

Commencement

Date/Details

1.  Sections 1 to 3 and anything in this Act not elsewhere covered by this table

The day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.

9 December 2008

2.  Schedule 1

The day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.

9 December 2008

3.  Schedules 2 and 3

At the same time as the Schools Assistance Act 2008 commences.

1 January 2009

4.  Schedule 4

The day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.

9 December 2008

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally passed by both Houses of the Parliament and assented to. It will not be expanded to deal with provisions inserted in this Act after assent.

 (2) Column 3 of the table contains additional information that is not part of this Act. Information in this column may be added to or edited in any published version of this Act.

3  Schedule(s)

  Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.


Schedule 1—Indigenous education

 

Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000

1  Subsection 3(1)

Omit “2009”, substitute “2013”.

2  Section 4 (paragraph (b) of the definition of ABSTUDY approved course)

Omit “higher education institution”, substitute “higher education provider”.

3  Section 4 (definition of funding year)

Omit “2009”, substitute “2013”.

4  Section 4 (definition of higher education institution)

Repeal the definition.

5  Section 4

Insert:

higher education provider has the same meaning as in section 161 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

6  After section 14A

Insert:

14B  Appropriations for non‑ABSTUDY payments—2009 to 2012 quadrennium

Appropriations—starting amounts

 (1) Each amount specified in the following table (as increased in accordance with subsection (2)) is appropriated out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purpose of making nonABSTUDY payments during the specified period.

 

Appropriations for nonABSTUDY payments

Item

Starting amount

for the period starting on ...

and ending on ...

1

$159,430,000

1 January 2009

30 June 2010

2

$163,778,000

1 January 2010

30 June 2011

3

$159,559,000

1 January 2011

30 June 2012

4

$157,731,000

1 January 2012

30 June 2013

Increasing starting amounts

 (2) The regulations may make provision for increasing an amount mentioned in the table in subsection (1) by reference to changes in a specified index.

7  Section 17A

Repeal the section, substitute:

17A  Annual report

  As soon as practicable after the end of each funding year, the Minister must cause to be laid before each House of the Parliament a report dealing, in relation to the year, with payments and performance information under agreements made under this Act.

8  Application

The amendment made by item 7 of this Schedule applies in relation to the 2009 funding year and later funding years.


Schedule 2—Amendments consequential on the Schools Assistance Act 2008

 

Australian Technical Colleges (Flexibility in Achieving Australia’s Skills Needs) Act 2005

1  Section 3 (definition of government school)

Repeal the definition, substitute:

government school, in relation to a State, means a school in the State that is conducted by or on behalf of the Government of the State.

2  Section 3 (definition of nongovernment school)

Omit “Schools Assistance Act”, substitute “Schools Assistance Act 2008”.

3  Section 3 (definition of school)

Omit “Schools Assistance Act”, substitute “Schools Assistance Act 2008”.

4  Section 3 (definition of Schools Assistance Act)

Repeal the definition.

5  Subparagraph 7(2)(a)(i)

Omit “Part 6 of the Schools Assistance Act”, substitute “Parts 4 and 5 of the Schools Assistance Act 2008”.

6  Subparagraph 7(2)(a)(ii)

Omit “that Part”, substitute “those Parts”.

7  Transitional provision

(1) This item applies in relation to an agreement that, immediately before the commencement of this item:

 (a) was of the type mentioned in subsection 7(2) of the Australian Technical Colleges (Flexibility in Achieving Australia’s Skills Needs) Act 2005; and

 (b) included a condition of the type mentioned in paragraph (a) of that subsection.

(2) The condition has effect, from the commencement of this item, as if it were a condition of the type mentioned in that paragraph as amended by this Schedule.

Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000

8  Paragraph 11D(1)(b)

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

 (b) an Education Assistance Act (within the meaning of the Schools Assistance Act 2008);

9  Subparagraphs 11D(1)(c)(i) and (ii)

Omit “States Grants Act”, substitute “Education Assistance Acts”.

Schools Assistance (Learning Together—Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity) Act 2004

10  Subsection 3(2)

Repeal the subsection, substitute:

 (2) Financial assistance may be paid to the States for both government and nongovernment schools in the States for the 2005 to 2008 calendar years for grants for the following:

 (a) general recurrent expenditure;

 (b) capital expenditure;

 (c) expenditure for certain other specific purposes.

11  Section 4 (definition of program year)

Repeal the definition, substitute:

program year means the 2005, 2006, 2007 or 2008 calendar year.

12  Subsection 138(1)

Omit “, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011”, substitute “and 2008”.

13  Schedule 3 (table items 5, 6 and 7)

Repeal the items.

14  Schedule 3 (note 1)

Omit “Note 1”, substitute “Note”.

15  Schedule 3 (note 2)

Repeal the note.

16  Schedule 5 (table items 5, 6 and 7)

Repeal the items.

17  Schedule 5 (note 1)

Omit “Note 1”, substitute “Note”.

18  Schedule 5 (note 2)

Repeal the note.


Schedule 3—Repeal of the States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Act 2000

 

1  The whole of the Act

Repeal the Act.


Schedule 4—Technical amendment

 

Schools Assistance (Learning Together—Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity) Act 2004

1  Subsection 50(1) (note 2)

Omit “131”, substitute “132”.

Note: This item corrects an incorrect crossreference.

 

 

 

 

 

Overview

The Education Legislation Amendment Act 2008 (C2008A00142) was enacted by the Parliament of Australia on 9 December 2008 to address issues related to the administration and funding of education in Australia. This Act amends several other Acts to reflect changes in the legislative framework for education funding, including the Schools Assistance Act 2008 and the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000. The primary objective of this Act is to update and streamline education funding mechanisms, ensuring they align with contemporary educational needs and policy directions. Key areas of amendment include adjustments to funding definitions, appropriations, and reporting requirements to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of education funding. The Act commenced on 9 December 2008, with specific provisions relating to the Schools Assistance Act 2008 taking effect from 1 January 2009.

Scope and Application

The Education Legislation Amendment Act 2008 is a piece of legislation that amends existing laws relating to education in Australia. This Act applies to various entities and individuals involved in the education sector, including schools, higher education providers, and students, particularly those eligible for Australian Bilateral Student Travel Arrangement (ABSTUDY) payments. The Act also impacts the administration of education assistance, including financial provisions and reporting requirements. Geographically, the Act applies across the Commonwealth of Australia, impacting both state and territory jurisdictions. Certain provisions of the Act commence on the day it receives Royal Assent, which is 9 December 2008, while other sections commence on 1 January 2009, aligning with the commencement of the Schools Assistance Act 2008. The Act extends its application through subordinate instruments, which may include regulations that provide further detail on certain provisions, such as the adjustment of appropriations based on specified indices. Specific exclusions or exemptions are not explicitly detailed in the text provided but are likely addressed within the amended acts themselves.

Key Provisions

The Education Legislation Amendment Act 2008 amends several Acts to make various changes and updates. The primary sections of this Act include modifications to the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000, consequential amendments to the Australian Technical Colleges (Flexibility in Achieving Australia’s Skills Needs) Act 2005 and Schools Assistance (Learning Together—Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity) Act 2004, the repeal of the States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Act 2000, and a technical amendment to the Schools Assistance (Learning Together—Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity) Act 2004. Under section 1, the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000 is amended to update certain definitions, extend the funding period, and introduce new appropriations for non-ABSTUDY payments. For instance, section 4 updates the definition of 'higher education provider' and removes the definition of 'higher education institution'. Additionally, section 14B establishes appropriations for non-ABSTUDY payments from 2009 to 2012, with the amounts specified in a table that may be increased by regulation. Section 17A replaces the repealed section 17, requiring the Minister to report annually on payments and performance information. Section 2 makes consequential amendments to the Australian Technical Colleges (Flexibility in Achieving Australia’s Skills Needs) Act 2005 and the Schools Assistance (Learning Together—Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity) Act 2004, primarily updating definitions and references to reflect changes introduced by the Schools Assistance Act 2008. For example, it modifies the definition of 'government school' and updates references to Parts 4 and 5 of the Schools Assistance Act 2008. Section 3 repeals the States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Act 2000, reflecting the changes introduced by the Schools Assistance Act 2008. Finally, section 4 includes a technical amendment to correct an incorrect cross-reference in the Schools Assistance (Learning Together—Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity) Act 2004. The Act imposes various obligations on the parties and entities it governs. For instance, the Minister must lay an annual report before each House of the Parliament under section 17A. Additionally, the amendments and updates to definitions and references ensure that the Acts operate in accordance with the current legislative framework. Breach of the provisions of this Act could lead to civil or criminal consequences, depending on the nature and severity of the breach. However, the Act does not specify particular offences, penalties, or consequences for breaches. Penalties for breaches would generally be determined by the relevant Act being amended, such as the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000 or the Australian Technical Colleges (Flexibility in Achieving Australia’s Skills Needs) Act 2005.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Education Law
Instrument
Act
Concepts
Commencement Provisions
Repeal & Amendment
Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance)

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.