Appendix 4: ASQA’s regulatory roles and responsibilities

ASQA commenced as the National VET Regulator on 1 July 2011, under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 and associated legislation. Since then, it has been responsible for course accreditation functions previously carried out by course accreditation bodies in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, Tasmania, South Australia and Queensland.

Both Victoria and Western Australia are ‘non-referring jurisdictions’. The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) and Western Australia Training Accreditation Council (TAC) retain some course accreditation functions within their respective jurisdictions.

Responsibility for course accreditation depends on the following:

1. if the course owner is a registered training organisation under ASQA’s jurisdiction, they are required to apply to ASQA for accreditation of courses
2. if the course owner is a registered training organisation regulated by TAC or VRQA, then they must apply to TAC or VRQA respectively for accreditation of courses
3. if the course owner is not a registered training provider, they can apply to any one of the three VET regulators for course accreditation.

ASQA can consider applications for accreditation and accredit courses originating from an Australian state or territory. ASQA can monitor, amend, or cancel (either by application or on its own initiative) any VET accredited course where it accredited, renewed or assumed regulatory responsibility for the course.

In managing course accreditation functions, ASQA must meet the requirements of the Standards for VET Regulators 2015 as per the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011.

On 24 August 2020 new governance arrangements to support ASQA’s continued evolution as a best-practice regulator were passed by the Australian Parliament. The new arrangements replaced commissioners with a single chief executive officer who is the National Regulator.