Administrative Review Tribunal (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2024

Senator CHISHOLM (Queensland—Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Assistant Minister for Education, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (12:30): This is with regard to ensuring practice directions and modified timeframes for providing documents. Item 2 amends section 25 of the ART Act to clarify that practice directions can specify an alternative timeframe for decision-makers to provide the tribunal with additional documents.

This amendment ensures the tribunal retains control over timeframes for the production of documents and allows for more tailored approaches to different categories of decisions. Section 36 of the ART Act provides that the president is required to consult the Tribunal Advisory Committee when making practice directions to ensure that practice directions are appropriate.

This amendment does not reflect the tribunal's power to order faster production of materials allowed for in section 28 of the ART Act if a party could experience hardship by delay.