Are Defibrillators Mandatory in Australian Schools?This question comes up regularly, especially for parents, school administrators and community groups. The short answer is it depends on the state or territory.
Australia does not have a single national law that makes Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) mandatory in all schools. Requirements are set at state and territory level, either through legislation or education department directives.
Below is the current situation across Australia.
Western Australia (WA)YES – mandatory for public schools
All Western Australian public (government) schools are required to have at least one AED installed.
• Mandated by the WA Department of Education
• Required in all public primary and secondary schools
• Implementation deadline: 30 June 2024
• Applies to government schools only (private schools encouraged but not legally mandated)
Reference:
https://www.education.wa.edu.au
https://defibrillatorsaustralia.com.au/ ... june-2024/
South Australia (SA)YES – mandatory under state legislation
South Australia has Australia’s most comprehensive AED laws.
• Governed by the Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Act 2022
• Public schools (government-owned buildings) required to have AEDs
• Requirement commenced 1 January 2025
• Includes installation, maintenance, registration and signage obligations
Reference:
https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au
https://www.premier.sa.gov.au/media-rel ... es-in-2025
New South Wales (NSW)NO – not mandatory
• No law requiring AEDs in schools
• Schools may install AEDs based on risk assessment
• CPR training for staff typically includes AED awareness
Reference:
https://www.education.nsw.gov.au
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au
Victoria (VIC)NO – not mandatory
• AEDs are not required under standard first aid provisions
• School principals may choose to install AEDs after a risk assessment
Reference:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/f ... brillators
Queensland (QLD)NO – not mandatory
• AEDs are not legally required in schools
• Installation is determined through a workplace health and safety risk assessment
Reference:
https://education.qld.gov.au
https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
Tasmania (TAS)NO – not mandatory
• No public access AED legislation covering schools
• AEDs encouraged as best practice only
Reference:
https://www.education.tas.gov.au
Northern Territory (NT)NO – not mandatory
• No school-specific AED requirement
• Risk-based approach applies
Reference:
https://education.nt.gov.au
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)NO – not mandatory
• No legislation requiring AEDs in schools
• Encouraged but optional
Reference:
https://www.education.act.gov.au
Summary• Mandatory in schools:
✔ Western Australia (public schools)
✔ South Australia (public/government-owned schools)
• Not mandatory but encouraged:
NSW, VIC, QLD, TAS, NT, ACT
AED availability in schools is increasingly seen as best practice, but outside WA and SA it is generally policy-driven rather than legislated.
HeartSine Samaritan 500P Defibrillator Trainer
HeartSine Samaritan 360P Defibrillator Fully Automatic
