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A Tasmanian man has been charged with animal cruelty after a video of a sheep allegedly being shorn with a chainsaw was shared on the internet.

Police launched an investigation last week into the alleged cruelty, which they say took place near Woodbury in the state's rural centre.

"On 12 April ... a person saw and filmed what appeared to be a sheep being crutched with a chainsaw," Tasmania Police said in a statement.

"The film was later circulated on social media."

Crutching is the removal of wool from around the tail and between the back legs of a sheep.

A 58-year-old man from York Plains was on Thursday charged with cruelty to animals under the Animal Welfare Act 1993.

He has been summonsed to appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court at a later date.

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About 420 public school teachers have been stood down for breaching Victoria's COVID-19 vaccination rules.

Most were put on leave without pay for not meeting the booster deadline on March 25, but Premier Daniel Andrews has defended the vaccination mandate saying it continues to save lives.

"I'm not going to apologise. Vaccines work, vaccines save lives and I'm very confident that people who have had one or two (doses) will get three very quickly and I thank them for that," he said.

"I'm just about sick and tired of this constant negativity when it comes to schools. Our schools were open on day one of term one. Our absentee rates in staff, support staff and students is lower today than it was before the pandemic."

Under the orders of the Victorian Minister for Health, teachers who work in schools must show proof of a triple dose or a medical exemption.

Those who failed to meet mandate requirements by March 25 were placed on forced leave and are unable to work.

The state's Department of Education said the majority of staff have met these requirements.

"As of 26 April, 99.2 per cent of the Victorian government teaching service have had three doses of a COVID vaccine and are permitted to attend work," a department spokesperson said.

"We encourage any staff members who have not yet had their third dose to book in to protect themselves, their families and their school communities."

Victoria and the Northern Territory are the only states requiring teachers to have a booster shot.

Mr Andrews thanked education staff for their persistence through two years of lockdowns and remote learning.

"They pushed through to support their students, who they are passionate about, not just in terms of education but schools are centres of care and support as well as places where people learn the skills that they need for the future," he said.

Victoria reported 10,427 cases and 10 deaths on Thursday, with 445 in hospital including 35 in intensive care.

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An organiser of Targa Tasmania believes the tarmac car rally has a future despite a deadly crash, the fourth fatality in the event across two years.

A 59-year-old Brisbane man, described as a regular competitor, was killed on Wednesday when the car he was driving crashed 20 metres down a steep embankment at Mount Roland in the state's northwest.

His wife, who was his passenger and navigator, walked away from the crash and was taken to hospital for observation.

The six-day rally, due to finish in Hobart on Sunday, has been downgraded to a non-competitive event - meaning drivers are bound to follow marked speed limits.

Three people were killed in two crashes at last year's rally, which prompted changes, including to routes and speed, aimed at improving safety for competitors.

Motorsport Australia director Michael Smith says the event still has a future, but isn't sure what it might look like.

"I think it's too early to say that there's no future for Targa. It might look different," he told reporters on Thursday.

Mr Smith indicated the rally could become non-competitive.

"That's certainly part of the thinking. That's a discussion we'll have. Again, I just think it's too early," he said.

"Not knowing the circumstances of the incident, it's probably too early for us to comment with any certainty on that at the moment."

Targa Australia chief executive Mark Perry said the decision to put a line through the competitive part of the event was a difficult one, but necessary so the crash could be fully investigated.

He has described the man's death during the 30th running of the rally as "shattering".

He said the man, whose name has not been released by police, was a regular competitor.

The pair were in the final stage of the event's second day and were one of the last few cars on course.

"It's a long-term stage for us, not new, it's not unfamiliar to any of the competitors, particularly this crew. They've done many events with us before," Mr Perry said.

Tasmania Police crash investigators will obtain more information from the scene on Thursday.

Inspector Darren Hopkins said the road was wet but it wasn't raining at the time of the crash, adding a medical condition couldn't be ruled out as the cause.

A rally safe device, which contains intel about the car's speed, has yet to be recovered from the vehicle.

Shane Navin, Leigh Mundy and Dennis Neagle lost their lives in crashes during last year's Targa Tasmania, prompting an investigatory tribunal to be established.

It made 23 recommendations for future tarmac rallies, including speed limits, altering stages year-by-year to avoid complacency and a tiered licensing system.

Seventeen of those have been adopted by rally organisers, with six the responsibility of Motorsport Australia to implement.

© AAP 2022