Glossary of terms and abbreviations

AASB	Australian Accounting Standards Board
AAT	The Administrative Appeals Tribunal is a statutory body that provides independent merits review of a range of government decisions
affirm	To ratify the decision under review – the original decision remains unchanged and in force
AFP	Australian Federal Police
AGEST	Australian Government Employees Superannuation Trust
ANAO	The Australian National Audit Office is a specialist public sector practice providing a full range of audit services to the parliament and public sector agencies and statutory bodies
ANZSCO	Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations
applicant	The applicant for review
appropriation	An amount authorised by parliament to be drawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or Loan Fund for a particular purpose, or the amount so authorised. Appropriations are contained in specific legislation – notably, but not exclusively, the appropriation acts
APS	The Australian Public Service
APSC	The Australian Public Service Commission
APS employee	A person engaged under section 22 or a person who is engaged as an APS employee under section 72 of the Public Service Act 1999
ARMC	The tribunals' Audit and Risk Management Committee which oversees the engagement and work program of the tribunals' internal auditors and considers issues relating to risk management
ASCO	Australian Standard Classification of Occupations
asylum seeker	An asylum seeker is a person who is outside their country of origin, has applied for recognition as a refugee in another country and is awaiting a decision on their application
ATO	Australian Taxation Office
AusTender	The Commonwealth Government's procurement information system
AustLII	The Australasian Legal Information Institute publishes a website that provides free internet access to Australasian legal materials including published MRT and RRT decisions
AWA	Australian Workplace Agreement
board	See Management Board
bridging visa	A bridging visa is a temporary visa generally granted to an eligible non-citizen to enable them to remain lawfully in Australia for one of a number of specified reasons the most common being while they are awaiting the outcome of application for a substantive visa
case	A case is an application for review before the MRT or the RRT. It is the tribunals' practice to count multiple applications for review as a single case where the legislation provides that the applications for review can be handled together usually where members of a family unit have applied for the grant of visas at the same time
caseload and constitution policy	A Principal Member Direction on Caseload and Constitution sets out arrangements for the constitution and processing of cases before the tribunals each financial year
CEIs	Under section 44 of the FMA Act, Chief Executive Instructions are issued by the chief executive to manage the affairs of the agency in a way that promotes the proper use of Commonwealth resources
chief financial officer	The chief financial officer is the executive responsible for both the strategic and operational aspects of financial planning management and record-keeping in APS departments and agencies. The Registrar is the chief financial officer of the tribunals
China	The People's Republic of China
Comcare	A statutory authority responsible for workplace safety rehabilitation and compensation
Commonwealth Ombudsman	The Commonwealth Ombudsman considers and investigates complaints about Commonwealth Government departments and agencies including the tribunals
competitive tendering and contracting	The process of contracting out the delivery of government activities previously performed by an agency to another organisation. The activity is submitted to competitive tender and the preferred provider of the activity is selected from the range of bidders by evaluating offers against predetermined selection criteria
complementary protection	Protection that is complementary to Australia's obligations under the Refugees Convention that ensures no person, as a consequence of being removed from Australia to a receiving country, faces a real risk of suffering significant harm
constitution	Constitution is the formal process by means of which the tribunal is constituted and a case allocated to a member for the purposes of a particular review. Once constituted as the tribunal for the purposes of a particular review, a member is responsible for the decision-making processes and the decision of the tribunal for that review
consultancy	A consultancy is one type of service delivered under a contract for services. A consultant is an entity engaged to provide professional independent and expert advice or services and may be an individual a partnership or a corporation
corporate governance	The process by which agencies are directed and controlled. It is generally understood to encompass authority, accountability, stewardship, leadership direction and control
CSS	Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme
DCBs	Departmental Capital Budgets
decision	The formal document which sets out in writing the tribunal decision and reasons for a particular review
department	The Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Officers of the department hold delegations to make the primary decisions reviewable by the tribunals
Deputy Principal Member	The Deputy Principal Member assists the Principal Member with the operations of tribunals
Deputy Registrar	The Deputy Registrar of the tribunals assists the Registrar
District Registrar	District Registrars assist the Registrar. A District Registrar is responsible for day-to-day operations and management of a tribunal registry
DoFD	The Department of Finance and Deregulation
EL	Executive level officer of the APS
enterprise agreement	The Enterprise Agreement 2012-14 sets out the terms and conditions for applicable tribunal employees
executive officer	The executive officer is the Principal Member. The Principal Member is responsible for the overall operation and administration of the tribunals
expenditure	The total or gross amount of money spent by the government on any or all of its activities
FBT	Fringe Benefits Tax
FCA	The Federal Court of Australia
FCAFC	The Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia
financial results	The results shown in the financial statements of an agency
FMA Act	The Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 is the principal legislation governing the collection payment and reporting of public moneys, the audit of the Commonwealth Public Account and the protection and recovery of public property. FMA regulations and orders are made pursuant to the FMA Act
FMC	The Federal Magistrates Court of Australia
FMO	Finance Minister's Orders
FOI	Freedom of Information
FOI Act	The Freedom of Information Act 1982 creates a legally enforceable right of public access to documents in the possession of agencies
grant	Commonwealth financial assistance as defined under regulations 3A(1) and 3A(2) of the Financial Management and Accountability Regulations 1997
Green Committee	The tribunals' Green Committee promotes an environmentally sustainable culture within the tribunals consistent with the tribunals' environmental policy
GST	The Goods and Services Tax is a broad-based tax of 10% on most goods, services and other items sold or consumed in Australia
Guide to Refugee Law in Australia	The Guide to Refugee Law in Australia was developed in 1996 as a reference tool for members and staff of the RRT. It contains an analysis of the legal issues relevant to the determination of refugee status in Australia and is regularly updated to reflect developments in the law
HCA	The High Court of Australia
hearing	An appearance by a person before either the MRT or the RRT. The appearance may be in person, or by video or telephone link
IAG	The Interpreter Advisory Group seeks to ensure the tribunals maintain access to a high standard of interpreters
IARLJ	The International Association of Refugee Law Judges
ICT Review	Review undertaken by Sir Peter Gershon into the Commonwealth Government's use and management of information and communication technology
IFAs	Individual flexibility arrangements
IPAO	The Independent Protection Assessment Office makes and reviews assessments of protection claims made by irregular maritime arrivals who cannot apply for a visa unless permitted to do so by the Minister personally. These assessments are not reviewable by the MRT or RRT. From 1 July 2012 IPAO functions transferred to the tribunals
IPS	Information Publication Scheme
irregular maritime arrivals	Asylum seekers that arrive in Australia by boat without a visa. From 24 March 2012, the RRT is responsible for the review of denied protection visa applications by irregular maritime arrivals
jurisdiction	Jurisdiction defines the scope of the tribunals' power to review decisions
Lavarch Review	A review of the efficiency and operations of the tribunals undertaken by the Professor Hon Michael Lavarch, AO. The review examined possible ways to reduce the backlog of cases and strategies for the smooth transition to the RRT of review decisions involving irregular maritime arrivals. The Report on the increased workload of the MRT and the RRT was published in June 2012
Management Board	The Management Board is a body that manages the strategic operations of the tribunals. It consists of the Principal Member, the Deputy Principal Member, the Registrar, the Deputy Registrar and senior members
Member	A member is constituted as the MRT or the RRT for the purposes of a particular review and is responsible for the decision-making process and the decision of the MRT or the RRT for that review
Member Code of Conduct	Establishes the conduct to be observed by all members of the tribunals in performing their functions and duties
Member Professional Development Committees	The tribunals' Sydney and Melbourne Member Professional Development Committees support the delivery of a targeted, quality professional development program to build and maintain skilled, motivated and adaptable members
merits review	Merits review is the administrative reconsideration of the subject matter of the decision under review
MIAC	The acronym MIAC is used to identify the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship in abbreviated court citations
Migration Act	The Migration Act 1958 is the principal legislation which establishes the tribunals and sets out their functions, powers and procedures. The act is the legislative basis for all decisions reviewable by the tribunals
migration agent	A migration agent is someone who uses knowledge of migration law and procedures to advise or assist a person who is applying for a visa or in other transactions with the department or the tribunals. They may be a lawyer and may work in the private or not-for-profit sector. A migration agent operating in Australia is required by law to be registered with the OMARA
Migration Regulations	The Migration Regulations 1994
Minister	The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
MRT	The Migration Review Tribunal
non-ongoing APS employee	An APS employee who is not an ongoing APS employee. A temporary employee engaged for a specified term or the duration of a specified task
OMARA	The Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority undertakes the role of regulator to the migration advice industry. It is responsible for registration, complaints, professional standards, education and training for migration agents
ongoing APS employee	A person engaged as an ongoing APS employee as mentioned in section 22(2)(a) of the Public Service Act 1999. A person employed on a continuing basis
OPA	Official Public Account
operational plan	The tribunals' Operational Plan 2011–12 outlines the key focus areas and planned activities to ensure delivery of the tribunals' strategic objectives
operations	Functions, services and processes performed in pursuing the objectives or discharging the functions of an agency
outcomes	The results, impacts or consequence of actions by government on the Australian community
outputs	The goods or services produced by agencies on behalf of government for external organisations or individuals. Outputs include goods and services produced for other areas of government external to an agency
PAES	Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements inform parliament of changes in resourcing since the Budget, providing information on new measures and their impact on the financial and non-financial planned performance of agencies
performance pay	Also known as performance-linked bonuses and usually taking the form of a one-off payment in recognition of performance. Retention and sign-on payments are not considered to be performance pay, and nor is performance-linked advancement which includes advancement to higher pay points which then becomes the employee's nominal salary
Portfolio Budget Statements	Portfolio Budget Statements inform parliament of the proposed allocation of resources to government outcomes by agencies within the portfolio
primary decision	A primary decision is the decision subject to review by either the MRT or the RRT
Principal Member	The Principal Member is the executive officer of the tribunals and is responsible for the tribunals' overall operations and administration; ensuring that their operations are as fair, just, economical, informal and quick as practicable; allocating work determining guidelines and issuing written directions
Principal Member directions	Sections 353A and 420A of the Migration Act provide that the Principal Member may give written directions as to the operation of the tribunals and the conduct of reviews by the tribunals
Principal Registry	The Principal Registry is the tribunals' national office. The tribunals' executive functions are performed at the Principal Registry
protection visas	Protection visas are a class of visas, a criterion for which is that the applicant for the visa is a non-citizen in Australia to whom Australia has protection obligations under the Refugees Convention, or a non-citizen in Australia who is the spouse or a dependant of a non-citizen who holds a protection visa
Protocol	The 1967 UN Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees removed the time and geographical limitation in the Refugees Convention's definition of a refugee
PSS	Public Sector Superannuation Scheme
PSSap	Public Sector Superannuation accumulation plan
purchaser/provider arrangements	Arrangements under which the services of one agency are purchased by another agency to contribute to outcomes. Purchaser/provider arrangements can occur between Commonwealth Government agencies or between Commonwealth Government agencies and state/territory government agencies or private sector bodies
Refugees Convention	The Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees agreed at Geneva on 28 July 1951 as amended by the Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees agreed at New York on 31 January 1967
Registrar	The Registrar of the tribunals assists the Principal Member with the administrative management of the tribunals
Registry	A registry is an office of the tribunals
remit	To send the matter back for reconsideration. A tribunal may remit a decision to the department when it decides that a visa applicant has satisfied the criteria which the primary decision-maker found were not satisfied, or that the visa applicant is a refugee
Remuneration Tribunal	The Remuneration Tribunal is the statutory body that determines the remuneration for key Commonwealth offices, including tribunal members
representative	A representative is someone who can forward submissions and evidence to the tribunals, contact the tribunals on the applicant's behalf, and accompany the applicant to any meeting or hearing arranged by the tribunals. With very limited exceptions, a representative must be a registered migration agent
review applicant	A review applicant is a person who has made an application for review to either of the tribunals
review application	A review application is an application for review that has been made to either of the tribunals
reviewable decision	A reviewable decision is a decision that can be reviewed by either the MRT or the RRT. Reviewable decisions are defined in the Act and the Regulations
RRT	The Refugee Review Tribunal
Senior Management Group	The Senior Management Group comprises the Registrar, the Deputy Registrar, district registrars and directors. This group meets at least once a month and deals with agency management and planning issues
senior member	Senior members provide guidance to and are responsible for members
service charter	The tribunals' service charter sets out the agency's service standards. It is government policy that agencies which provide services directly to the public have service charters in place. A service charter is a public statement about the service an agency will provide and what customers can expect from the agency
SES	Senior Executive Service of the APS
set aside	To revoke the decision under review – the original decision is deemed not to have been made. A tribunal sets aside a decision when it decides that the primary decision should be changed. When a tribunal sets aside a primary decision it may substitute a new decision in place of the primary decision
source country	The country of nationality or citizenship of a visa applicant
statutory objective	The tribunals' statutory objective is to provide a mechanism of review that is fair, just, economical, informal and quick. The MRT and the RRT's statutory objectives are set out in sections 353 and 420 respectively of the Migration Act
TIS	Translating and Interpreting Service
TRA	Trades Recognition Australia
tribunal	The Migration Review Tribunal (the MRT) or the Refugee Review Tribunal (the RRT)
tribunals	The Migration Review Tribunal (MRT) and the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT), unless otherwise indicated
tribunals' plan	The Tribunals' Plan 2011-13. It is a high level document setting out the tribunals' key strategic aims and priorities and core values
UN	United Nations
UOW	University of Wollongong
visa applicant	A visa applicant is a person who has made a visa application
WHS	Work health and safety
workplace diversity	The concept of workplace diversity values and utilises the contributions of people of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives