The Chinese Language Teachers' Federation of Australia (Inc.) [CLTFA] was founded in 1995 as a peak national body capable of representing and promoting the interests of its constituent professional associations and individual members engaged in the teaching of Chinese language in Australia. The impetus to form a national federation followed recognition by Chinese language teaching associations in a number of states of the need to establish appropriate federal representation to meet the particular needs of Chinese language education in Australia.

The principal goal of the CLTFA is to promote the study and teaching of Chinese language and culture in Australia. In order to realise this goal, the Federation has established the following five subordinate objectives. The CLTFA is to:

  1. coordinate and assist the activities of State- and Territory-level Chinese language associations from a national perspective;
  2. act as a peak national body, representing and promoting the interests of constituent organisations and individuals in dealing with federal-level government, international and private organisations;
  3. promote exchanges and cooperation between constituent organisations and individuals through regular conferences and other meetings;
  4. plan and implement professional development activities for teachers of Chinese language and culture; and
  5. develop and provide policy advice to appropriate federal-level organisations to promote the study and teaching of Chinese language and culture. The CLTFA does not have a regulatory function: each of the member associations retains full autonomy in its respective state or territory. The primary functions of the Federation are to represent, coordinate, assist and advise.

Adopted Adelaide 1997