Labor unveils plan to boost regional teacher workforce if elected

Labor candidate for Lyons Richard Goss, a teacher at Kings Meadows High School, said he believed the initiatives would encourage school staff to stay within their regional communities.

"I think that's really important, when teachers and staff stay in their community it builds it; they're not just finishing at 3:30 and driving an hour back to Launceston," Mr Goss said.

He said doing things like using the local pool or playing bowls on the weekend built up community culture.

"A lot of [regional] community towns - staff tend to drive in and out because they've got families ... if they're living in town, it's an hour extra in the morning and evening they can't spend with their families," he said.

"We've got a lot of young teachers in our education system, and older teachers too, but I think we've just got to make the job more appealing to people."

Labor spokesperson for education Josh Willie said Labor would provide regional housing incentives, with stamp duty waivers on buying a home in a regional area in exchange for a teaching commitment.

"With a teacher shortage impacting every state, the Federal Government's National Teacher Workforce Action Plan is expected to lift the number of graduates to meet demand," Mr Willie said.

"But there is still a need for experienced educators, particularly in regional and hard-to-staff locations.

"Teachers in regional and remote schools have identified this, along with sourcing relief teachers and retaining new educators beyond three years as the top staffing issues in isolated schools."

Education Minister Roger Jaensch said a policy like this one already existed under the Tasmanian Liberals.

"The Tasmanian Liberals already provide incentive payments to teachers at rural and regional schools including a settling in payment of $5000, incentive payments from $2,759 on commencement to $5,523 upon completing 6 years of continuous employment," Mr Jaensch said.

"And travel and accommodation for specialist medical appointments."

He said they were already providing support to encourage new teachers to take up placement in schools.

"The Teacher Intern Placement Program (TIPP) provides students with a scholarship of $30,000 to undertake their final year of study, based full-time, in a Tasmanian government school," he said.

"This increases to $40,000 for outer regional or remote areas to participate in the program, and upon successful completion, these teachers are guaranteed a permanent teaching position."