Competence authority 

The Competence Authority considers reports, complaints and other matters related to competence. The panel is made up of one lay person and two to three registered teachers from across the sector. 

If a teacher’s report is referred to the Competence Authority, the teacher will be told about it and given a chance to respond. They can send a written statement, speak to the panel in person, have a lawyer or support person speak for them, or do a combination of all of these things. 

The panel includes one person from outside the teaching profession and two or three registered teachers from different parts of the education sector. There will be one panel member from the same sector as the teacher. 

After considering the case, the Competence Authority can decide to:  

• take no further action  
• refer back to the Evaluator for more information  
• Impose conditions on the teacher’s practising certificate or authority to teach  
• annotate the public online register of teachers  
• refer the teacher to an impairment process  
• in the most serious cases, order the Teaching Council to cancel the teacher’s registration, practising certificate, or authority. 

The Teaching Council will monitor the teacher as they comply with any conditions.