GUIDELINES & INFORMATION ON THE OPERATION OF MUTUAL RECOGNITION IN TASMANIA

Overview
Mutual recognition of standards and occupations recognises a need for fundamental regulatory reform to enhance the flexibility and competitiveness of the Australian economy. Heads of Government signed an Inter Governmental Agreement on 11 May 1992 binding States and Territories and the Commonwealth to introducing legislation establishing a national market in goods and services. The Commonwealth and Tasmania have enacted complementary legislation establishing the Mutual Recognition system.

Under the provisions of the Mutual Recognition Act, 1992 a person who has a current authority to practise in one State/Territory in an occupation recognised as equivalent to an occupation in another State/Territory, is eligible to be registered and to carry on that equivalent occupation in that second State or Territory. Similarly, under the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997 (TTMR) a pharmacist in New Zealand is eligible to be registered in Australian states and territories. These rights may be exercised provided that certain conditions, including lodgement of certain information verified by a Statutory Declaration, are met.

Mutual Recognition provides an additional and alternative avenue for obtaining registration. Applicants have the choice of applying for registration as a pharmacist under the Mutual Recognition Act or the current Pharmacist Registration Act 2001.

Application forms for registration in Tasmania are available for download here or by contacting the Pharmacy Board of Tasmania. Please email at registrar@pbtas.com.au for more details.

Mutual Recognition provides benefits to applicants, for example, from the date of lodgement of a fully completed application, deemed registration is granted. Deemed registration entitles a person to practise in accordance with the laws of the state as if substantive (full) registration were granted.

Conditions may be applied to a person's deemed/substantive registration. The Board may also impose conditions or restrictions on the professional practice of an interstate registrant if it is of the view that this is necessary to achieve equivalence of occupation. Pharmacists registering under the TTMR must complete one months supervised practise in Tasmania prior to registration to ensure they have adequate knowledge of local legislative requirements.

Applicants will receive a certificate of 'deemed registration' indicating the duration of approval and any conditions that apply to their practice.

Deemed registration continues until substantive registration is granted, or until it is cancelled or refused by the Board. Deemed registrants must be notified of such decisions within one calendar month from the deemed registration date. The Board's decision is subject to appeal.

Deemed registration automatically leads to substantive registration within one month of the grant of deemed registration if a written notice postponing the decision or advising of refusal has not been issued within that time by the Board.

Substantive registration may be postponed or refused in cases where, for example, statements made in the application/notice are found to be materially false or misleading.

Substantive registrants will be issued with a certificate and in due course, with an annual renewal notice.

Registrants whether deemed or substantive are subject to disciplinary procedure arrangements under the Pharmacists Registration Act 2001.