Administrative Decisions Tribunal of New South Wales

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The Administrative Decisions Tribunal of New South Wales is responsible for reviewing decisions of some New South Wales government departments, for hearing discrimination complaints referred by the President of the New South Wales Anti-Discrimination Board, for hearing complaints about professional misconduct and for hearing disputes with commercial leases.

There is an Appeal Panel, a General Division and five specialist Divisions named the Community Services Division, the Revenue Division the Equal Opportunity Division, the Retail Leases Division and the Legal Services Division. The Internal Appeal Panel hears appeals from the Divisions and an External Appeal Panel which hears appeals from other bodies. The tribunal is conducted in a less formal manner than a court and is presided over by either a single member or a panel of three members (depending on the division).

As with other tribunals in New South Wales, the ADT encourages parties to negotiate their own reolution through mediation prior to any hearing. The resolution devised by the parties can then be made official at the hearing by a member of the tribunal. If this fails, the tribunal can make a decision which is then legally binding upon both parties.