We will write to you and give you a chance to tell us why you think we can review the decision. If you do not respond or cannot show us that we can review the decision, we might dismiss the application.

T documents

The Agency will send us the decision and all relevant review documents within 28 days after being told the application has been received. These are called ‘T documents’.

T documents will also be sent to you and any other party. 

Confidential T Documents

The Agency can ask the Tribunal for a direction that certain content within the T documents is not to be disclosed to you or another party. We will consider such an application and tell you our decision.

You can give us new information that you think supports your case:

What information can I give to support my case?

You can give us new information that you think supports your case. You should give it to us as soon as you can.

The child support care decisions fact sheet outlines the types of information you could give us in a review of a decision about the percentage of care for a child.

We might direct you to give us information if we think we need it to make a decision. You must give us any information we ask for by the date we tell you.

Find more details and timeframes for giving us information in the Child Support Practice Direction.

How can I give my information?

You can send us information about your case online. 

You can also give us information by:

• calling 1800 228 333
• emailing reviews@art.gov.au 
• sending a letter
• visiting a Tribunal office. 

Check our contact details to find out where and how to give your information to us.

Can I remove information from a document?

You can usually remove the following information from a document before giving it to us: 

• a tax file number or passport number
• your Centrelink reference number or child support identification number
• your bank account number on a bank statement, other than the last 4 numbers.

You cannot remove any other information in a document unless we say you can. You can ask us if you can remove information in a document by:

• telling us in writing why you think the information should be removed
• asking the presiding member at a directions hearing, if we hold one as part of the review.

The request will be refused if removing the information will affect the fairness of the review.

Find more details in the Child Support Practice Direction.

Helpful hints about giving us information

• Use our online system to send us information. This means you do not need to send a copy by post, unless we ask you to give us certified copies of documents such as a birth certificate.
• If you come into one of our offices to give us information, please give us a hard copy to keep.
• If documents are not in English, you must also give us a translation by an accredited translator.

How will we use the information you give us?

• The member who hears your case might use it to make a decision.
• It will usually be given to Services Australia and any other party to the review.

You will receive a copy of relevant information given to us by Services Australia or any other party to the review.

Find out more about privacy at the Tribunal and access to information in Tribunal cases.
 

If there is a current family violence order against a party to the review, you must send us a copy of the order. 

You must also tell us if any other party to the review does not know your address, contact details or place of employment.

We issue non-disclosure orders that make it a criminal offence for a party to disclose personal information about the other party, or any other person, that is acquired during the review. 

Non-disclosure orders do not apply to personal information already known to a party.

If you believe there has been a breach of a Tribunal non-disclosure order, you should write to us, setting out why you think the order has been breached.

For some child support matters a case assessment registrar will arrange to speak to you and/or the other party to the application. 

A case assessment registrar is an experienced Tribunal staff member with specialist knowledge in child support matters, who can discuss:

• the decision that has been made
• what outcome you are seeking from the Tribunal
• any further information you can provide to assist with your review
• ways of resolving the application without a hearing, including coming to an agreement, withdrawing the application and when an application can be dismissed
• options other than a review at the Tribunal.

We might hold a directions hearing to talk about the decision and what will happen in the review. We usually hold a directions hearing in reviews about a change of assessment decision.

All parties (other than Services Australia) are required to attend the directions hearing. We usually make directions requiring you and any other party to provide information or documents to the Tribunal by a specified date before the hearing.

We will make an audio recording of the directions hearing. You are not permitted to record the directions hearing or to obtain a copy of the recording.

The hearing is an opportunity for you to present information and talk about why you agree or disagree with the Child Support decision under review.