The National Boards and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) have released an advance copy of the revised Criminal history registration standard, available for review here. Approved by Health Ministers following two public consultations and a scheduled review, the updated common standard will officially come into effect on 15 July 2026.

The updates aim to improve the registration process by aligning with current evidence, streamlining procedures, reducing duplication, and addressing existing content gaps. Optometry Australia encourages all members and individual applicants to familiarise themselves with these changes before they take effect.

Key updates to the Common Standard

The revisions introduce several structural and content changes designed to clarify requirements and ensure public safety while maintaining fairness:

• Explicit Compatibility Clause: The standard now includes a clear, definitive statement that a practitioner cannot have a criminal history that is incompatible with registration.
• Cultural Safety and Inequity Considerations: A new factor has been introduced that explicitly considers the impacts of racism and systemic inequity on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and the implications these factors may have had on an individual’s criminal history.
• Clearer Compliance Guidance: The document now features an expanded explanation of the purpose and requirements of the standard, outlining exactly how an applicant or registered practitioner can “meet” these criteria.
• Nature vs. Gravity of Offences: The revised standard separates the consideration of the nature of an offence from its gravity. This acknowledges that while the criminal justice system may classify certain offences as “minor”, the fundamental nature of the behavior may still be highly relevant within a healthcare environment.
• New Application Guide: Ahpra has published an accompanying Guide to the application of the criminal history registration standard. This additional explanatory material is designed to support practitioners in understanding how the standard is enforced.
• Editorial & Scope Clarifications: Further minor updates clarify how the standard applies to students, how serious juvenile offending is handled, and how decriminalised offences are considered. A dedicated definitions section has also been added.

What this means for optometrists

For most registered optometrists, the core requirements of maintaining registration remain focused on public safety. However, the streamlined processes and the introduction of the new application guide will provide greater clarity during registration renewals or new applications.

Between now and the 15 July 2026 implementation date, members are encouraged to review the advance copy and guide to ensure complete awareness of the updated framework.

Read the full advance copy of the standard here.

For further advice or questions, please reach out to the Optometry Australia Help Desk team at OAhelpdesk@optometry.org.au or call 1800 678 662.