Welcome to the website of the Council of Australasian Tribunals Inc.

Hosted by the Council of Australasian Tribunals and the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration, the 2012 Annual Tribunals Conference is on 7 and 8 June 2012 at Dockside Darling Harbour, Sydney (immediately before the Queen’s birthday long weekend).

More details ...

A Framework for Tribunal Excellence

• A Framework for Tribunal Excellence - final version.
  This document has been endorsed by the COAT National Executive for release as a consultative draft.  It is envisaged that the consultation and trial period will take place over the course of 2011 and we will finalise the document early in 2012.  Please forward any comments to the COAT Chair at irj@supremecourt.vic.gov.au
• Tribunal Competency Framework Draft

Tribunals occupy an increasingly important place in the Australian justice system. Across the Commonwealth, in the State and Territories and New Zealand, tribunals have been established to perform a range of determinative functions. These can include matters as diverse as reviews of administrative decisions of Government, licensing and planning matters, decisions affecting the liberty, care and treatment of individuals, veterans' entitlements, industry regulation and accreditation, allocation of benefits and professional discipline matters.

Despite the increasing reliance on tribunals (as opposed to courts) to achieve justice in terms of individuals' relationship with Government as well as each other, there is no national body through which tribunals can come together to examine and compare ideas, working methods, organisation and management, member trainingS and support programs.

The proposal for a Council of Australian Tribunals - or COAT - was developed by the Administrative Review Council and supported at a meeting of Commonwealth, State and Territory tribunal heads on 3 October 2001. (See Background Papers for links to agenda papers and minutes of 3 October 2001 meeting). The proposal was considered at the AIJA Tribunals Conference in Melbourne on 6 June 2002 and was expanded to include New Zealand tribunals. The Council will be known as the Council of Australasian Tribunals (COAT).

Contacting the Council of Australasian Tribunals

If you would like more information about the COAT, please contact Mr Andrew Tenni, Chief Executive Officer, Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), who is the Executive officer of COAT. Mr Tenni can be contacted on telephone (03) 9628 9001, or by fax on (03) 9628 9891 or by email at info@coat.gov.au.

The Honourable Justice Iain Ross
President, Victoria Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Vic)
Chair, Council of Australasian Tribunals Inc.