School leaders: relocation update
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 131 No 4, 26 June 2026, page no.10
Classified officers around the state know that the relocation system has been broken for many years now.
The matters we have been working to resolve include:
- a school leader with a terminally ill child having to apply through suitability panels, despite being approved for a compassionate relocation
- a member waiting seven-plus years for a relocation within a region that has critical staff shortages
- members who have lost their position through loss of entitlement being told they have to find their own job
- schools being forced to pay for displaced members (loss of entitlement) until they secure their own relocation
- “temp to perm” arrangements under Directive 03/23 filling a large number of the vacancies that could otherwise have gone to relocation, which has exacerbated all of the above issues.
Declining enrolments in several of the highest demand areas have also intensified these issues.
The QTU has held several high-level meetings with senior HR personnel to discuss all the intersecting policy areas that have led to the decline of mobility options over many years.
Pleasingly, the department has acknowledged these issues and has committed to working with us to develop procedures that restore a high functioning mobility system for classified officers.
Over a remarkably short space of time, a large number of positive changes have entered the pipeline, and we commend the department on its significant work in this space.
These changes will take time to roll out statewide; however, we believe we will see huge improvements over the coming 6-18 months.
Here are just some of these improvements:
- A new “mobility assessment” form has already been released. This replaces the old suitability assessment/fit panel. The old system allowed huge variability and had resulted in processes that did not align with the intent of the Directive. This new form and process will standardise mobility assessments and bring them back in line with expectations.
- There is now a standardised approach to requests for advertising of all vacancies. This will allow oversight of vacancies to ensure they are filled appropriately, with the needs of current permanent classified officers considered in balance with other operational requirements.
- The Vacancy Review Panel (VRP), which formerly had oversight of vacancies to ensure this balance, is being re-established. This will be trialed during 2026 and will ensure that assessment of vacancies for advertising or relocation will be consistent.
- A new application system for relocation is being developed. This will streamline the process, ensure better collection of data relating to relocations, and result in fewer errors.
- A new relocation portal is under development. This will house all relevant information for applicants and ensure officers have access to all the relocation support they need in one place.
- The Compassionate Relocation Panel has new terms of reference, and is currently reviewing the criteria and assessment of compassionate applications. One much welcomed change is that classified officers who have genuinely compassionate circumstances will now be supported to relocate, instead of being placed on the general relocation list in order to find their own position.
We want to acknowledge the significance of the work that is occurring in this space and applaud the willingness of the department to collaborate with the QTU to ensure we have a fairer system for our classified officers statewide.