Administrative Review Tribunal Bill 2024 and two others

The majority voted in favour of a motion to read the bills for a second time (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bills). This means our senators can now consider the bill in more detail.

What do the bills do?

The bills digest set out the following key points:

• The purpose of the Administrative Review Tribunal Bill 2023 is to establish the Administrative Review Tribunal (the Tribunal), which will replace the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. The Bill details the Tribunal’s membership, structure, review procedures and other matters. It also re‑establishes the Administrative Review Council.
• The Administrative Review Tribunal (Consequential and Transitional Provisions No. 1) Bill 2023 repeals the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 and makes consequential amendments to a number of Commonwealth Acts.
• These Bills were introduced into Parliament on 7 December 2023 and were referred to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs for inquiry and report. The Committee recommended that the House pass the Bills. Submissions to the inquiry, while generally supportive of the purpose of the Bills include recommendations for further amendment.
• Both the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights have raised concerns with elements of the Bills.
• The Bills Digest at a glance section on pages 5–7 includes a summary of the key points about the Bills.
• A third Bill, the Administrative Review Tribunal (Consequential and Transitional Provisions No. 2) Bill 2024 was introduced into Parliament on 7 February 2024.
• All three Bills have been referred to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 24 July 2024.