Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Act 2021

Administered by Department of Education

Legislation au C2021A00081 In force Act

Legislation content

Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Act 2021

No. 81, 2021

Compilation No. 1

Compilation date: 1 January 2022

Includes amendments up to: Act No. 87, 2021

Registered: 4 January 2022

About this compilation

This compilation

This is a compilation of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Act 2021 that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 1 January 2022 (the compilation date).

The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.

Uncommenced amendments

The effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law. Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on the Legislation Register (www.legislation.gov.au). The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes. For more information on any uncommenced amendments, see the series page on the Legislation Register for the compiled law.

Application, saving and transitional provisions for provisions and amendments

If the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.

Editorial changes

For more information about any editorial changes made in this compilation, see the endnotes.

Modifications

If the compiled law is modified by another law, the compiled law operates as modified but the modification does not amend the text of the law. Accordingly, this compilation does not show the text of the compiled law as modified. For more information on any modifications, see the series page on the Legislation Register for the compiled law.

Selfrepealing provisions

If a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.

 

 

 

Contents

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Crown to be bound

4 Act does not impose tax on property of a State

5 Definitions

6 Imposition of registered higher education provider charge

7 Amount of registered higher education provider charge

8 Exemptions from registered higher education provider charge

9 Regulations

Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

An Act to impose registered higher education provider charge, and for related purposes

1  Short title

  This Act is the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Act 2021.

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

Provisions

Commencement

Date/Details

1.  The whole of this Act

1 January 2022.

1 January 2022

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this Act.

 (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Act. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this Act.

3  Crown to be bound

  This Act binds the Crown in each of its capacities.

4  Act does not impose tax on property of a State

 (1) This Act does not impose a tax on property of any kind belonging to a State.

 (2) Property of any kind belonging to a State has the same meaning as in section 114 of the Constitution.

5  Definitions

  In this Act:

property of any kind belonging to a State: see subsection 4(2).

registered higher education provider has the same meaning as in the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011.

registered higher education provider charge means charge imposed by section 6.

TEQSA means the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.

year means calendar year.

6  Imposition of registered higher education provider charge

  A charge is imposed by this section on a body, for a year starting on or after the commencement of this section, if the body is a registered higher education provider at the start of the year.

7  Amount of registered higher education provider charge

 (1) The amount of registered higher education provider charge for a year for a registered higher education provider is the amount (including a nil amount):

 (a) prescribed by the regulations for that year; or

 (b) worked out for that year in accordance with a method prescribed by the regulations.

 (2) Without limiting paragraph (1)(b), the regulations may provide for the amount of registered higher education provider charge for a year for a registered higher education provider to be equal to the sum of such components as are prescribed by the regulations.

 (3) Before the GovernorGeneral makes regulations for the purposes of subsection (1), the Minister must be satisfied that the effect of those regulations will be to recover no more than the Commonwealth’s likely costs in connection with TEQSA’s performance of its functions under a Commonwealth law.

Note: TEQSA’s functions are set out in section 134 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011. Those functions include functions under other Commonwealth laws such as the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000.

 (4) For the purposes of subsection (3), disregard any costs that are likely to be offset by fees determined by TEQSA under section 158 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011.

 (5) The regulations may provide for indexation of amounts specified in the regulations.

8  Exemptions from registered higher education provider charge

  The regulations may provide for exemptions from registered higher education provider charge.

9  Regulations

  The GovernorGeneral may make regulations prescribing matters:

 (a) required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed; or

 (b) necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.

Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.

The following endnotes are included in every compilation:

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

Abbreviation key—Endnote 2

The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.

Legislation history and amendment history—Endnotes 3 and 4

Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.

The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.

The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.

Editorial changes

The Legislation Act 2003 authorises First Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial and presentational changes to a compiled law in preparing a compilation of the law for registration. The changes must not change the effect of the law. Editorial changes take effect from the compilation registration date.

If the compilation includes editorial changes, the endnotes include a brief outline of the changes in general terms. Full details of any changes can be obtained from the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

Misdescribed amendments

A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe the amendment to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, the amendment is incorporated into the compiled law and the abbreviation “(md)” added to the details of the amendment included in the amendment history.

If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the abbreviation “(md not incorp)” is added to the details of the amendment included in the amendment history.

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

ad = added or inserted

o = order(s)

am = amended

Ord = Ordinance

amdt = amendment

orig = original

c = clause(s)

par = paragraph(s)/subparagraph(s)

C[x] = Compilation No. x

/subsubparagraph(s)

Ch = Chapter(s)

pres = present

def = definition(s)

prev = previous

Dict = Dictionary

(prev…) = previously

disallowed = disallowed by Parliament

Pt = Part(s)

Div = Division(s)

r = regulation(s)/rule(s)

ed = editorial change

reloc = relocated

exp = expires/expired or ceases/ceased to have

renum = renumbered

effect

rep = repealed

F = Federal Register of Legislation

rs = repealed and substituted

gaz = gazette

s = section(s)/subsection(s)

LA = Legislation Act 2003

Sch = Schedule(s)

LIA = Legislative Instruments Act 2003

Sdiv = Subdivision(s)

(md) = misdescribed amendment can be given

SLI = Select Legislative Instrument

effect

SR = Statutory Rules

(md not incorp) = misdescribed amendment

SubCh = SubChapter(s)

cannot be given effect

SubPt = Subpart(s)

mod = modified/modification

underlining = whole or part not

No. = Number(s)

commenced or to be commenced

 

Endnote 3—Legislation history

 

 

Act

Number and year

Assent

Commencement

Application, saving and transitional provisions

Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Act 2021

81, 2021

13 Aug 2021

1 Jan 2022 (s 2(1) item 1)

 

Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Amendment Act 2021

87, 2021

27 Aug 2021

1 Jan 2022 (s 2(1) item 1)

 

Endnote 4—Amendment history

 

Provision affected

How affected

s 7.....................

am No 87, 2021

 

 

Overview

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Act 2021 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to introduce a registered higher education provider charge on bodies that are registered higher education providers at the start of a year. The Act aims to impose a charge on these providers to recover the Commonwealth's likely costs in connection with the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency's (TEQSA) performance of its functions under various Commonwealth laws. The policy objective of the Act is to ensure that the financial burden associated with the regulatory oversight of higher education providers is shared fairly among those who benefit from the regulatory framework. The Act binds the Crown in all its capacities and does not impose a tax on property of any kind belonging to a State. The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Act 2021 specifies the amount of the registered higher education provider charge for a year for a registered higher education provider, which can be prescribed by regulations or calculated according to a method prescribed by regulations. The Act allows for the possibility of indexation of amounts specified in the regulations and permits exemptions from the registered higher education provider charge through regulations. The Governor-General is authorised to make regulations necessary or convenient for carrying out or giving effect to the Act. The Act ensures that the regulations made to implement the Act do not result in the recovery of costs exceeding the Commonwealth’s likely costs in connection with TEQSA’s functions, with certain exceptions for costs that are likely to be offset by fees determined by TEQSA.

Scope and Application

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Act 2021 imposes a registered higher education provider charge on bodies that are registered higher education providers at the start of a calendar year. This Act applies to entities that fall under the definition of a registered higher education provider as outlined in the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011. The charge is to be determined either by regulations prescribed for the year or calculated according to a method prescribed by the regulations, with the intention of recovering no more than the Commonwealth's likely costs in relation to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency’s functions under Commonwealth law. The Act binds the Crown in all its capacities and does not impose a tax on property of any kind belonging to a State, as defined in section 114 of the Constitution. The Act allows for the possibility of exemptions from the registered higher education provider charge through regulations, and the Governor-General may make regulations prescribing matters necessary or convenient for carrying out or giving effect to the Act. The Act commenced on 1 January 2022 and its application is not restricted geographically beyond the Commonwealth jurisdiction. The Act's scope is further defined and extended through regulations, which may include provisions for indexation of charge amounts and specific exemptions. The Act’s provisions are subject to amendment through subordinate instruments, with any such changes detailed in the legislation history and amendment history endnotes. It is important to note that uncommenced amendments and editorial changes are accessible on the Legislation Register and detailed in the endnotes respectively, providing a comprehensive legislative context for the Act.

Key Provisions

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Act 2021 (hereafter referred to as the Act) is structured to impose a registered higher education provider charge on entities that are registered higher education providers (s 6). This Act comes into effect on 1 January 2022, as specified in section 2(1) of the Act. A registered higher education provider is defined as any entity that is registered under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011. The charge is applicable for each calendar year beginning on or after the commencement date of the Act, provided the entity remains a registered higher education provider at the start of that year (s 6). The Act outlines the obligations for registered higher education providers to pay the registered higher education provider charge, which is determined either by a prescribed amount set by regulations or calculated using a method specified by those regulations (s 7). The regulations must ensure that the total charge collected does not exceed the Commonwealth's likely costs associated with the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency's (TEQSA) functions, as outlined in section 134 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011. Additionally, the Act allows for the possibility of indexation of the charge amounts, ensuring that the charges can be adjusted to reflect changes in economic conditions or other relevant factors (s 7(5)). Exemptions from the charge may also be provided for in the regulations (s 8). Failure to comply with the provisions of this Act can result in various consequences. While the Act itself does not explicitly detail the penalties for non-compliance, it is reasonable to infer that breaches could be subject to the general enforcement mechanisms available under other Commonwealth laws, such as fines or other sanctions. The regulations made under this Act may also specify particular penalties for non-compliance, ensuring that the charge is effectively collected and managed. The Act ensures that the Crown is bound by its provisions (s 3) and clarifies that it does not impose a tax on property of any kind belonging to a State (s 4).

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Area of Law
Education Law
Instrument
Act
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Definitions & Interpretation
Commencement Provisions
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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.