MARK DREYFUS MP

Member for Isaacs

Appointment of additional Members to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal

04 October 2023

The Australian Government has appointed 54 additional members to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) through a transparent and merit-based selection process, conducted in accordance with the AAT appointment guidelines. These appointments follow the 39 appointments announced on 15 September 2023.

THE HON MARK DREYFUS KC MP

ATTORNEY-GENERAL
CABINET SECRETARY
MEMBER FOR ISAACS

Appointment of additional Members to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal

The Australian Government has appointed 54 additional members to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) through a transparent and merit-based selection process, conducted in accordance with the AAT appointment guidelines. These appointments follow the 39 appointments announced on 15 September 2023.

The appointment of these members fulfils the Government’s commitment to appoint at least 75 additional members to the AAT to address the existing backlog of cases – particularly in the Migration and Refugee Division. These appointments bring the total membership of the AAT to 358 members, with 209 full-time and 149 part-time members.

Under the previous government, backlogs and delays in the AAT were allowed to grow exponentially. This has come at a very real cost to the tens of thousands of people who rely on the AAT each year to independently review government decisions that have major and sometimes life-altering impacts on their lives.

The additional members will be appointed for a fixed term of two years, with the majority assigned to the Migration and Refugee Division. There will also be several members assigned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Division and the Social Services and Child Support Division. Some members will be assigned to more than one Division.

The new Members will commence between 9 October 2023 and 5 February 2024. All Members appointed through this process will transition to the new administrative review body, the Administrative Review Tribunal, upon its commencement, for the remainder of their term.

On behalf of the government, I congratulate the below Members on their appointments.

Members:

Dr Dawn Barker

Mrs Kay Bell

Ms Alicia Bills

Ms Melissa Bray

Mr Michael Brereton

Mr Patrick Burgess

Ms Mary-Ann Cooper

Mr Clyde Cosentino

Dr Kevin Dodd

Ms Suseela Durvasula

Ms Jessica Edis
Mrs Jennifer Ermest
Ms Amy Faram

Mr Garry Fitzgerald

Mr Patrick Francis

Ms Helen Glass

Ms Amanda Goodier

Mr Benjamin Goulding

Mr John Paul Guemy

Mrs Melissa Haag

Ms Athena Harris Ingall

Ms Noelle Hossen

Mr Denny Hughes

Mr Adam Johnson

Dr Rachelle Johnston

Ms Hollie Kerwin

Ms Hee-Jung Kim

Mr Matthew King

Mr John Kotsifas

Mr Joshua Le Vay

Mr Gary Ledson

Ms Rebecca Lee

Mr Anastasis Liveris

Mrs Lisa Maree Lo Piccolo

Mr Ben Lumsdaine

Ms Sophie Manera

Mr Shane Marshall

Ms Mary Mathew

Ms Rosemary Mathlin

Ms Janette McCahon

Prof Robert McLaughlin

Ms Stefanie Memmott

Ms Belinda Mericourt

Ms Rebecca Mikhail

Ms Sydelle Muling

Ms Siran Nyabally

Ms Linda Pearson

Ms Alison Ryan

Ms Frances Simmons

Ms Catherine Wall

Prof Gregory Weeks

Ms Carolyn Wilson

Mrs Sue Zelinka
Ms Sophia Ziebell-Barnes

Wednesday, 4 October 2023