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 |
AGEST |
Australian Government Employees Superannuation Trust |
AGIMO |
The Australian Government Information Management Office fosters the efficient and effective use of information and communications technology by Australian government departments and agencies |
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 |
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 |
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 |
APSC |
The Australian Public Service Commission |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 as a single case where the legislation provides that the applications 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 |
country advice |
Country-of-origin information used by members to assist reviews |
CSS |
Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme |
DCB |
Departmental Capital Budget |
decision |
The formal document which sets out in writing the tribunal decision and reasons for decision in a particular review |
department |
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection. 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 the tribunals |
Deputy Registrar |
Deputy Registrars assist 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 |
FCC |
Federal Circuit Court |
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 |
IAAAS |
Immigration Advice and Application Assistance Scheme |
IAG |
The Interpreter Advisory Group seeks to ensure the tribunals maintain access to a high standard of interpreters |
IFAs |
Individual flexibility arrangements |
IPS |
Information Publication Scheme |
jurisdiction |
Jurisdiction defines the scope of the tribunals’ power to review decisions |
member |
A member is a statutory office holder appointed to the MRT and the RRT. 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 |
merits review |
Merits review is the administrative reconsideration of the subject matter of the decision under review |
MIBP |
The acronym MIBP is used to identify the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection in abbreviated court citations |
MIMAC |
The acronym MIMAC 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 Border Protection |
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 |
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 Statement |
The Portfolio Budget Statement informs 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. The Principal Member is the chief executive for FMA Act purposes and agency head for Public Service Act 1999 purposes |
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. Elements of the Principal Registry are co-located with the New South Wales and Victoria registries |
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 |
Public Service Act |
The Public Service Act 1999 |
PGPA Act |
The Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 establishes a new framework for the use and management of public resources by Commonwealth entities. The PGPA Act replaced the FMA Act on 1 July 2014 |
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 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 Migration Regulations |
RRT |
The Refugee Review Tribunal |
RSD |
Refugee Status Determination |
Senior Management Group |
The Senior Management Group comprises the Registrar, deputy registrars, district registrars and directors. This group meets monthly 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 |
specialisation |
Tribunal members specialise in the review of particular types of cases |
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’ strategic plan |
The Strategic Plan 2013–16. It is a high level document setting out the tribunals’ key strategic aims and priorities and core values |
UN |
United Nations |
unauthorised maritime arrivals |
Asylum seekers that arrive in Australia by boat without a visa |
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 |