Administrative Appeals Tribunal

Administrative Appeals Tribunal
Agency overview
Formed1 July 1976 (1 July 1976)
Dissolved14 October 2024 [1]
Superseding agency
JurisdictionAustralia
Employees573 (2017)[2]
Minister responsible
Agency executive
Parent departmentAttorney-General's Department
Key document
Websiteaat.gov.au

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) was an Australian tribunal that conducted independent merits review of administrative decisions made under Commonwealth laws of the Australian Government. The AAT reviewed decisions made by Australian Government ministers, departments and agencies, and in limited circumstances, decisions made by state government and non-government bodies. They also reviewed decisions made under Norfolk Island laws. It was not a court and not part of the Australian court hierarchy; however, its decisions were subject to review by the Federal Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia.[3] The AAT was established by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975[4] and started operation in 1976.

On 1 July 2015, the Migration Review Tribunal, Refugee Review Tribunal and Social Security Appeals Tribunal became divisions of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.[5][6]

In December 2022, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced that the AAT would be abolished and replaced with a new body.[7] The new body was named the Administrative Review Tribunal.[8]

On 14 October 2024 the AAT was abolished and replaced with the Administrative Review Tribunal.

  1. ^ "Former Administrative Appeals Tribunal". Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  2. ^ AAT Annual Report 2016–17 (Report). Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  3. ^ Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 (Cth) s 44
  4. ^ Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 (Cth)
  5. ^ "The Amalgamated AAT – Administrative Appeals Tribunal". aat.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  6. ^ Le Grand, Chip (14 July 2014). "Liberals order purge of refugee review body". The Australian. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  7. ^ Osborne, Paul (16 December 2022). "Government to axe administrative tribunal". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 16 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Recruitment of Members for the new Administrative Review Tribunal". Attorney General's Department. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.