COAT launched an e-Case Bulletin (the Bulletin) early 2022, as a shared resource for all member tribunals. COAT’s priorities include measures directed to achieving ‘increased capacity for training and support of members, particularly by smaller tribunals which may not have the resources to undertake such activities alone’.  Keeping abreast of important developments in case law relating to tribunal practice across the jurisdictions is resource-intensive.

COAT proposes to publish four editions of the Bulletin per year.  An editorial committee consisting of senior tribunal members in various jurisdictions will oversee the Bulletin.  The members of the committee are: Anne Britton, COAT Chair, Deputy President, NCAT; Brett Carter, Convenor of COAT NZ Chapter, Co-Chair NZ Motor Vehicles Disputes Tribunal; Bernard McCabe, Deputy President, AAT; Linda Pearson, Principal Member, NCAT, Adjunct Professor UNSW; Stephen Willey, Senior Member, State Administrative Tribunal (WA).  The committee will work with Professor Pamela O’Connor, who will be responsible for compiling the copy for each bulletin.

It is proposed that the cases to be included in the bulletin would be recent noteworthy or novel decisions relevant to tribunals and/or “tribunal craft”.  They would include cases which reformulate, clarify or apply the general principles discussed in COAT’s Practice Manual for Tribunals.  The Bulletin will include cases decided by the courts on review or appeal from a tribunal, together with first instance tribunal decisions and decisions from tribunal appeal divisions.

If your tribunal already produces case digests/case summaries, please make them available to Professor O’Connor.  COAT may subsequently request permission to reproduce in the Bulletin, cases included in those digests/case summaries.  If your tribunal does not produce case digests digests/case summaries, please nominate someone in your Tribunal to notify Professor O’Connor of any decisions that might be useful to include in the Bulletin.

Please contact Professor O’Connor at bulletin@coat.asn.au.