The Hodgman Liberal Government has commenced work to assess the feasibility of a single Civil and Administrative Tribunal for Tasmania which could reduce duplication and improve access to justice.
Tasmania is the only Australian state that does not have a single tribunal and administrative appeals structure. The Department of Justice alone currently supports 15 bodies which will all be consulted as part of this project to assess their suitability for consideration for inclusion in an amalgamated tribunal. Any other relevant tribunals and boards which fall within other portfolio areas will also be considered as to their suitability for inclusion in a single tribunal.
Each existing tribunal has its own administrative and legislative framework, requiring a high level of resourcing and support that could be streamlined to deliver a more efficient and accessible service.
I have asked the Department of Justice to develop a discussion paper which will examine the range of bodies suitable for amalgamation, as well as the possible structure, legislative requirements, governance and leadership of a single tribunal.
Any development of a single tribunal would ensure that the Tribunal continues to have access to the expertise required, and would focus on eliminating duplication of administration and support costs.
Reform of this kind to Tasmania’s civil and administrative decision-making processes has the potential to improve service delivery and consistency of processes, provide better access to justice, and reduce red-tape and duplication.
It is anticipated that the discussion paper will be completed by mid-2015. Providing initial consultation and discussion supports further investigation, an options paper would then be completed by the end of the year.