No Images? Click here Competitions for law studentsRegistration is now open for the AAT’s annual National Mooting Competition until Friday 5 July 2018. The registration period for the ‘Moot’, as it is more commonly known, follows the AAT’s 2018 Negotiating Outcomes On Time (NOOT) competition. This year, first place in the NOOT was awarded to Queensland University of Technology students Bianca Stringer, Victoria Naumova and Rhiannon Dudley (Reserve). AAT President, the Hon Justice David Thomas presented NOOT winners with their certificates and trophies. Changes to application fees Application fees for the review of a decision by the AAT, where a fee is payable, will increase from 1 July 2018. There will be no change to the concession fee. The AAT reviews a range of decisions made under Commonwealth laws and fees vary depending on the type of decision being reviewed. Reviews about Freedom of Information, security, taxation and commercial decisions, and certain other reviews, will attract the following fees:
If the application for review is about migration and refugee decisions the following fees will apply:
If you would like more information, please visit the fees page on our website. Who makes AAT decisions?The AAT provides people with the opportunity for independent review of decisions made under more than 400 Commonwealth Acts, including matters relating to taxation, social security, the NDIS, workers’ compensation and veterans’ appeals. The AAT is comprised of approximately 300 members and 600 staff. Members are statutory appointees who conduct merits reviews. They are appointed by the Governor-General for a fixed term under the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975. Staff are public servants engaged under the Public Service Act 1999 to support the AAT’s primary function. Translated information videosThe AAT has translated six information videos to help people from non-English backgrounds become familiar with some of the most important aspects of the AAT. The videos are now available in the following languages: • Arabic The translated videos cover topics such as applying for a review, attending a hearing or conference, and the decision making process. These summaries are prepared by AAT staff to provide insight into the types of decisions we make and why the decisions are made. For the complete facts and reasons, please view the full written decisions on Austlii. Decision summaries are routinely uploaded to the AAT website. Below are the summaries uploaded over the last month.Child SupportAskey and Askey (Child support) [2018] AATA 1232 The Tribunal heard a matter about the date that a child support application is considered to have been submitted when a technical error occurred during the application process. Migration & Refugee Division1516895 (Refugee) [2018] AATA 1323 The Department of Immigration and Border Protection refused the applicant's Protection visa. The applicant claimed she fled Lebanon after suffering harassment, discrimination and threats, primarily from her fiancé. The Tribunal affirmed the decision. 1601597 (Refugee) [2018] AATA 1420 The Department of Immigration and Border Protection refused the applicants' Protection visas. The applicants were a couple from Fiji who claimed to fear persecution if they returned because they were staunch Methodists, and expressed their opposition to the 2006 Coup and the present government. The Tribunal affirmed the decision. Luong (Migration) [2018] AATA 1491 The Department of Immigration and Border Protection refused the applicant's Other Family visa. The applicant was from Vietnam and claimed her only remaining relatives were in Australia, except for her father whose whereabouts was unknown. The Tribunal had to consider whether the father was a 'remaining relative'. The Tribunal affirmed the decision. National Disability and Insurance SchemeDGJJ and National Disability Insurance Agency [2018] AATA 1263 The applicant sought additional funding under the National Disability Insurance Scheme for personal care support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Tribunal considered the amount of support that was reasonable to be provided by a family and varied the decision. Section 501: The character testHawkins and Minister for Home Affairs (Migration) [2018] AATA 1462The Department of Home Affairs decided not to revoke the cancellation of the applicant's permanent visa. The applicant arrived in Australia at the age of two and his visa was cancelled after the Department decided he did not pass the character test due to his substantial criminal record of approximately 180 convictions. The Tribunal affirmed the decision. Veterans' EntitlementsMacKenzie and Repatriation Commission (Veterans' entitlements) [2018] AATA 1374 The applicant was the widow of a Second World War veteran who died from prostate cancer at 95 years old. The applicant wanted compensation because she claimed her late husband had consumed alcohol heavily due to his military service and this consumption resulted in his death. The Tribunal decided the applicant was entitled to benefits. The AAT Bulletin is a weekly publication containing information about recently published decisions and appeals against decisions in the AAT’s General, Freedom of Information, National Disability Insurance Scheme, Security, Taxation & Commercial and Veterans’ Appeals Divisions. The Bulletin also regularly includes a sample of decisions recently published in the AAT’s Migration & Refugee Division and Social Services & Child Support Division. What do you think?Write to us at Communications@aat.gov.au to provide editorial suggestions and feedback. |