About the Teachers Tribunal

Overview

The Teachers Tribunal operated from 1946 to 1981. For most of this time, it was the body that set teacher pay, working conditions and staffing levels.

Today, there is interest in the workings of the Tribunal particularly its handling of teacher discipline. This is because of the testimonies of victim-survivors and others at Inquiries and Royal Commissions.

Why the Teachers Tribunal was created

Before 1946, the Public Service Board employed teachers. Many teachers felt this system did not give them a strong or independent voice. They wanted a non-government body to make fair decisions about their employment conditions.

To meet this need the Teachers Tribunal was created in 1946. From then on, the Tribunal employed teachers, not the department.

What the Tribunal did

The Teachers Tribunal met on the ground floor of the old Mint Building on William Street.

The functions of the Tribunal were to:

set salaries, wages and employment conditions for teachers
decide how many positions were available at each classification level
determine appeals against classification decisions
deal with charges made under the Act against members of the teaching service
carry out other responsibilities set out in legislation and regulations.

The Tribunal had 3 members:

a chairman
one member representing the Victorian Government
one elected member representing the teaching service.

Calls for reform

By the 1960s, many secondary teachers felt the Tribunal did not represent them well. They were unhappy that the elected representative was usually a primary teacher.

The Secondary Teachers Association campaigned for change, taking strike action in 1965–66. The campaign was successful. The Teaching Service (Teachers Tribunal) Act of 1967 increased the Tribunal to 5 members:

2 government representatives
3 union representatives.

The unions then had a majority of representatives on the Tribunal.

The end of the Teachers Tribunal

During the 1970s, tensions grew between the government and the Tribunal. The department claimed to lack the normal decision-making powers entitled to an employer.

In February 1981, the Tribunal approved a 15% pay rise for high school principals. The Victorian Government said this broke federal wage indexation rules. Parliament cancelled the decision the next month. (Annual Report 1981-82).

The Education Services Act 1981 resolved this situation, as it:

made school staff direct employees of the department, and
closed the Teachers Tribunal.

The Liberal Government developed the Act. But it was the new Labor Government who put it into effect after the election on 30 May 1982.

Finding Teachers Tribunal records

For more information, see Access to teacher discipline records.

Updated 27 March 2026

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About the Teachers Tribunal

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