COAT is the national body through which tribunals can come together to examine and compare ideas, working methods, organisation and management, member trainings and support programs.

About the Council of Australasian Tribunals

The COAT is intended to facilitate liaison and discussion between the heads of tribunals. It will support the development of best practice models and model procedural rules, standards of behaviour and conduct for members and increased capacity for training and support for members.

At the inaugural meeting on 6 June 2002 Commonwealth, State, Territory and New Zealand tribunal heads supported a proposal for establishing a Council of Australasian Tribunals… Learn more

Contacting the Council of Australasian Tribunals

If you would like more information about COAT, please contact Ms Kathryn McKenzie, COAT Secretariat, on 0418 281 116 or  at info@coat.asn.au

Latest News & Events

The COAT WA Chapter invites you to join us to celebrate the end of year! Please click here for details and to register. 

2025 COAT National Conference – SAVE THE DATE!
We are delighted to invite you to the 2025 COAT National Conference which will be hosted as a hybrid event on June 5th and 6th in the city of Melbourne. 

Conference sessions are anticipated to take place from 11:45 am to 5:00 pm AEST on Thursday and from 8:45 am to 3:15 pm on Friday. To ensure maximum accessibility and convenience for our attendees, we expect all conference sessions will be recorded and made available for registered delegates following the event.

We anticipate opening registration, announcing the venue, and releasing further program details before the end of the year. Please reserve the dates of the 5th and 6th of June 2025 on your calendar. Please click here for further details which will be available on the conference website. We look forward to welcoming you to the conference.

ADVANCED DECISION WRITING COURSE

Enrol now in COAT’s  online Advanced Decision Writing course designed for experienced Tribunal members. The course features interviews and a series of exercises with some of Australia’s most respected decision-writers who discuss their approach to decision-writing: Justice Jayne Jagot (High Court of Australia), Justice Mark Leeming (NSW Court of Appeal), Justice John Griffith (A/ Justice of the Court of Appeal, formerly justice of the Federal Court of Australia), Justice Rachel Pepper (NSW Land and Environment Court) and Deputy President Bernard McCabe (Administrative Appeals Tribunal).

Note: Final course for 2024 commences 1 November.
2025 courses are scheduled for 1 March – 30 April; 1 July – 31 August; 1 September – 3 October.

COAT ON-LINE MEMBER INDUCTION PROGRAM

COAT’s on-line training program designed for recently appointed Tribunal members will continue to be offered.  Please register your EOI online for the next intake  14 February – 2 May 2025, and 25 August – 24 October 2025, or contact our office at secretariat@coat.asn.au.

COAT’s professional development consultant, Dr Anne Bartlett-Bragg, can be contacted at education@coat.asn.au if you have any queries or requests in relation to professional development.

Additional programs are currently being reviewed and considered.

DECISION WRITING COURSES

COAT’s Decision Writing Courses are designed to improve decision writing skills through analysis, discussion and rewriting aspects of reasons for decision. Please contact our office to note your expression of interest to be included in the next courses, or if you would like an in-house group workshop, or to host a state-based workshop.

Our next 3-week Online Introductory Decision Writing Programs  will be held  5-23 May 2025, and 15 September – 3 October 2025. Please register your EOI with our Secretariat at secretariat@coat.asn.au.

We will also be hosting an In-Person 1-Day Decision Writing Workshop in the Sydney CBD 28 March 2025 – details and program to be confirmed. We will also consider additional workshops in other locations and dates depending on demand. Please register your EOI with our Secretariat at secretariat@coat.asn.au.

LATEST VACANCIES

Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) – EL2 Director, Accessibility and User Centred Design

Applications Close: 07/11/2024 11:45 PM
Occupation: Administration/Support Service, Management, Policy/Planning/Research, Business Support, Registry
Location: Canberra Metropolitan, Sydney Metropolitan, Brisbane Metropolitan, Adelaide Metropolitan, Hobart Metropolitan, Melbourne Metropolitan, Perth Metropolitan
Work Type: Ongoing – Full Time

This position can be located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth on an ongoing basis.

Remuneration:  The annual salary for the position is EL2 $135,732 – $154,312 p.a., plus a generous employer superannuation contribution of 15.4%.

The Director, Accessibility and User Centred Design leads a team responsible for designing and implementing improvements to the Tribunal’s processes to ensure they are user-focused and accessible. This includes collecting, analysing and responding to user feedback, including complaints, coordinating user-focused stakeholder engagement and community outreach, providing advice on complex accessibility matters, developing related policies, and collaborating on the design of digital services such as the Tribunal’s website.

In this role you will oversee the development and implementation of accessibility initiatives and strategies in line with the Tribunal’s statutory and other objectives, and work closely with other Directors, including the Director – Pathway Support and Director – Applications and Early Case Assessment, to ensure a consistent, high-quality and accessible service is provided to users. The role also leads a pilot program of First Nations Liaison Officers.

About the ART: The Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) plays a crucial role in the Australian legal landscape, providing a process for individuals and organisations to seek an independent review of decisions made under a wide range of Commonwealth laws.

Please visit the website for further details:
https://art.bigredsky.com/page.php?ageID=160&windowUID=0&AdvertID=811161

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EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
The Actuaries Institute of Australia
Panel Members – Disciplinary Scheme Conduct Committee, Tribunal & Appeal Board

The public places trust in Members of The Institute of Actuaries of Australia (the Institute) to hold high standards. The Institute requires its Members to comply with its  Code of Conduct. The Disciplinary Scheme exists to address conduct which falls short of the standards expected. This helps to protect the public as well as maintain and protect the standards, professionalism and reputation of our Members.

The Institute is calling for Expressions Of Interest (EOIs) from appropriately qualified and skilled legal and lay individuals interested in joining one of the three (3) decision making Panels referred to in the Institute’s Disciplinary Scheme, namely the Conduct Committee, Tribunal and Appeal Board. Appointments are made for a fixed term not exceeding five (5) years and are paid on an hourly fee contract basis. These appointments are being made to ensure a suitably strong pool of individuals remains available to assist with cases as they arise.

Applicants may register their interest by completing the EOI Form, which includes details of core competencies required, and returning it to: Disciplinaryscheme@actuaries.asn.au  by 20th November 2024.

Further details about the Institute’s Disciplinary Scheme are available here.

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