Australian Capital Territory
Explanatory Statement
Optometrists (Fees) Determination 2006 (No 1)
Disallowable instrument DI2006-70
made under the
Optometrists Act 1956, s 55 (Determination of fees)

The Optometrists Act 1956 (the Act) provides for the registration of optometrists, to control the practice of optometry and for related purposes.
Section 55 of the Act provides the Minister with the power to determine fees for the purpose of the Act.

This instrument revokes Optometrists (Fees) Determination 2003 (No 1) DI2003-117 and sets new fees for the purposes of section 17 (fee for registration based on qualifications and training pursuant to section 8, and fee for registration at the Board’s discretion pursuant to section 10); fee for interim registration pursuant to section 11; fee for annual registration pursuant to section 28(1); fee for re-registration pursuant to section 30(1); fee for issue of a duplicate certificate pursuant to section 24(4); fee for alteration of particulars in the register pursuant to section 33; fee to inspect an entry in the register pursuant to section 56(1) and fee to obtain a certified copy of an entry in the register pursuant to section 56(1).
The fees for initial registration, annual renewals and other miscellaneous fees have been set at levels which reflect the administrative costs associated with those activities, and to meet the agreed costs of operating the Health Professions Boards Secretariat.
The changes to the fees are an increase of $35 for the Annual Renewal fee (from $220 to $255) and an increase of $10 for the fee to inspect the Register (from $10 to $20).  All other fees remain unchanged. 
The Annual Renewal fee has been increased by 10% because fees have not been increased since June 2003, because sitting fees are payable under the Health Professionals Act 2004 and because the Board will run at a loss in the absence of the increase.  The increase in the fee to inspect the register will bring the fee in line with the fee charged by other allied Health Professions Boards.