Teacher Passport
Government schools employ more teachers than any other sector in Australia — around 65% of the total teaching workforce. They also attract the most pre-service teachers by default, which means the decision to pursue the government sector is rarely a considered one. This guide is for teachers who want to make it deliberately (or who are weighing it against Catholic or independent alternatives). It is neutral, factual, and draws on publicly available enterprise agreement data.
Teacher Passport
Government school hiring is centralised through state education department portals. In NSW this is jobs.nsw.gov.au; in Victoria, Recruitment Online; in Queensland, the Smart Jobs portal. You apply through the relevant portal, upload your documents, and are assessed for placement on a merit list or talent pool, or for specific advertised permanent roles.
In NSW, merit selection is mandatory for permanent roles, assessed against the Australian Professional Standards. Most new graduates enter through temporary appointments first and apply for permanency after 12–24 months. The process varies by state — always check your state department's current pathway.
Teacher Passport
Government teacher pay is set by state enterprise agreements. Pay progresses through annual steps based on teaching experience, regardless of performance — predictable and transparent.
| State | Graduate step 1 (approx.) | Top of scale (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | ~$87,000 | ~$122,000 |
| VIC | ~$80,000 | ~$115,000 |
| QLD | ~$82,000 | ~$117,000 |
| WA | ~$85,000 | ~$120,000 |
| SA | ~$78,000 | ~$111,000 |
| TAS | ~$76,000 | ~$108,000 |
Rural and remote incentives are significant in government schools — relocation assistance, rental subsidies, additional leave, and retention payments. In NSW, 174 schools are eligible for incentive payments. See teacherpassport.com.au/nsw-incentives.
Teacher Passport
Government schools in every state are required to provide beginning teachers with structured accreditation support. In practice this depends on the school — but the entitlement exists in award or legislation and is enforceable.
Government schools generally provide stronger structural accreditation support than Catholic or independent schools — not because the sector is more professional, but because the department has more resources and clearer obligations. This matters most in your first two years, when the accreditation process is most demanding.
Accreditation requirements vary by state. See teacherpassport.com.au/guides for the Teacher Passport Accreditation Guide Series covering each state's process.
Teacher Passport
Government schools serve the full range of Australian society, which means the experience varies more than any other sector. A government school in inner-city Sydney is structurally similar to (and culturally very different from) a government school in rural Queensland.
Culture varies enormously by school. Leadership quality is the single biggest determinant of whether a government school is a good place to work — a strong principal makes all the difference.
Teacher Passport
Salary progression in government schools is largely automatic — you move up the pay scale each year of teaching experience. This is predictable and fair, but salary alone is not a differentiator for high performers. Career progression beyond the classroom requires a different pathway.
AITSL's Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) accreditation provides a formal credential for teachers who want to pursue pedagogical leadership without moving into management.
Teacher Passport
Teacher Passport