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This information is for members of the public who may want to attend a Tribunal hearing as an observer.
Many, but not all, hearings at the Tribunal are open to the public.
Members of the public can usually attend hearings by coming to one of our registries.
We hold many hearings by telephone or video. There are different arrangements for members of the public who want to attend public hearings by phone or video conference.
Hearings that are usually public
Tribunal hearings are open to the public unless a law requires that they be in private or the presiding member decides that all or part of the hearing is to be in private.
The types of hearings that must be in private include those about:
- protection (refugee) visas
- some tax decisions
- Centrelink payments
- child support.
Attending a public hearing by phone or video conference
We publish a list of hearings and other listings that will be held each day.
If you want to attend a listed hearing, send an email to reviews@art.gov.au before 8am (local time in the place of the hearing) telling us:
- your name
- your contact telephone number
- the case number for the hearing you want to attend
- if you want to join a video hearing by telephone or by video.
Please include the words ‘Request to attend hearing’ and the case number in the subject line of your email.
We ask for these details so we can action your request and contact you if we need to about the hearing. Your name may be disclosed to the other people attending the hearing, some of whom might be located overseas. If you do not give us your name, the presiding member might take this into account in deciding whether the hearing should be in private.
Read our privacy policy for more information, including how you can access and seek correction of personal information we hold about you, make a complaint about the way we have handled your personal information and how we will deal with such a complaint.
If you are an authorised media representative and want to attend any hearing, please email media@art.gov.au with your request as outlined above.
We will check if the hearing is open to the public and if it is being conducted by telephone or video. We will contact you to tell you if the hearing is private and you can't attend.
If the hearing is open to the public, we will send you instructions about how you will join. If the hearing is by video, we will usually send you a link to join the online hearing.
The Tribunal uses Microsoft Teams for most video hearings.
You are responsible for any costs you incur to attend the hearing, including data or telephone charges.
The Tribunal will admit you to the hearing. We will then usually identify all persons who are present, including you.
A party might ask the Tribunal to hold the hearing in private. If you are not present while this is discussed and the presiding member subsequently decides the hearing is to be in private, we will contact you to tell you this.
You must remain silent (mute any microphone) and, if the hearing is by video, hidden (keep your camera turned off) at all times to avoid disturbing the hearing.
You must not record the hearing or take any screenshots.
We reserve the right to terminate your attendance at a hearing if:
- the presiding member decides that the hearing, or a part of the hearing, is to be in private
- you disturb the hearing in any way, or
- the technology becomes unstable.