Community and sporting clubs across Tasmania are set to benefit from a significant cost-saving measure, with the state government scrapping the registration fee for Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) cards for volunteers for the next two years.
The change follows joint advocacy by Clubs Tasmania and Volunteering Tasmania, who urged the government to axe the $22.44 fee, a move they say removes an unnecessary barrier to volunteering and provides meaningful relief to grassroots organisations.
“This is a fantastic result for the thousands of volunteers who are the backbone of our community and sporting clubs. The Government has listened, and we applaud their action,” Clubs Tasmania CEO Old said.
“Removing this fee is more than just a cost-saving measure, it’s a show of respect and value for volunteers. It will have a real and positive impact on recruitment and retention in a sector that has been doing it tough.”
From small football clubs to local bowls and netball committees, volunteer-run organisations across the state have expressed concern about how the WWVP fee was either deterring would-be volunteers or stretching already limited budgets.
Clubs Tasmania project manager Tom Darke said the issue had been raised by clubs repeatedly and that co-signing the call for action with Volunteering Tasmania was a key step in prompting the change.
“This is what genuine sector collaboration looks like,” he said.
The Tasmanian government has allocated $600,000 over two years to fund the fee removal as part of the upcoming 2025-26 Budget. Volunteers will no longer have to pay to register for a WWVP card, a requirement for those working with children and vulnerable adults in clubs and community settings.
Minister for Community Services Roger Jaensch said the initiative is part of a broader effort to reduce cost-of-living pressures and administrative burden.
“This initiative will reduce barriers to volunteering, reduce the administrative burden for organisations that host volunteers, but importantly, it will reduce expenses for volunteers in a time of cost-of-living challenges,” he said.
Tasmania’s volunteer workforce is estimated to include over 332,000 people, with a contribution valued at $4 billion annually. The WWVP fee removal comes alongside the development of the state’s first Volunteering Strategy and five-year action plan, due for release by 30 June 2025.
“This is a vital step towards addressing our declining formal volunteer rates and supporting an inclusive, thriving and celebrated culture of community participation in Tasmania,” Volunteering Tasmania CEO Mel Blake said.