Blue cards for local government

Learn about when you need a blue card to work for local government or when carrying out duties as an elected official, such as a mayor or councillor.

Local government employees

Not everyone needs a blue card to work for local government. Local government employees need a blue card if they engage in regulated employment for more than 7 days in a calendar year.

The most common regulated employment categories that local government falls under include:

• Health, counselling and support services, for example an employee of a youth centre or an online counselling service for youth, or a lifeguard at a community pool
• Education and care services, for example an employee of a childcare centre, outside school hours care (OSHC) service or kindergarten
• Sport and active recreation services, for example an employee of an aquatic or swimming centre or sport and recreation area
• Churches, clubs and associations, for example an employee who conducts children’s reading groups in a council library or teaches cultural activities or art classes to children.

Under the Local Government Act 2009 (Qld) a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has the responsibility of ensuring which positions in council require an employee to hold a blue card. A local council should not have a policy that requires its employees to apply for or hold blue cards if the work the person is doing is not regulated by the blue card system.

Together with the Local Government Association of Queensland, we developed a podcast series called Yarn with Jess a fact sheet and videos to help local councils understand which roles need a blue card and their obligations.

Watch our online information videos:

• Is your council misusing the blue card system?
• Who needs a blue card in the local council?
• What are the obligations of a local council?
• What to do when there is a change in an employee’s blue card status.

Local government elected officials

Mayors or councillors do not need a blue card to hold office or attend the opening of a public event, school, sporting club or youth program as an invited guest. However they will need a blue or exemption card if they are engaged in regulated employment for more than 7 days in a calendar year.

For example, a mayor or councillor who:

• mentors youth in programs such as the Youth Advisory Council Program will need a blue card under the Health, counselling and support services category of regulated employment
• regularly attends childcare or schools to present awards, recognition of achievements or delivers presentations will need a blue card under the Schools—Employees other than teachers and parents or Education and care services and similar employment categories of regulated employment.

Mayors, councillors and CEOs who are direct executive members of the Council Executive Management Committee will need a blue card to operate any regulated child-related services under the relevant category of regulated business.

For example a mayor, councillor or CEO who:

• is a direct executive member of a council-operated Youth Advisory Council Program would be captured under the Health, counselling and support services category of regulated business
• is a direct executive member of a council operating a childcare centre would be captured under the Education and care services and similar businesses category of regulated business.