News archive

Refugee Week 2008

Refugee Week takes place this year from 15 June to 21 June and will coincide with global celebration of World Refugee Day on 20 June. As part of Refugee Week 2008, the Refugee Review Tribunal is hosting an open afternoon where visitors will get an insight into Tribunal operations. For information about the event view the flyer.

Upgrading the sponsorship bar caseload to Priority 1 status

Principal Member Direction 2/2007 sets out the arrangements for the constitution of the Tribunals. It outlines two priority categories - Priority 1 (the highest priority) and Priority 2 (all other cases, in order of the date of lodgement of the application for review).

Sections 140J and 140L of the Migration Act 1958 allow for action to be taken against business sponsors of subclass 457 visa holders. Until now the Tribunal has classified the sponsorship bar caseload as Priority 2 at lodgement and priority requests from individual applicants have been considered on a case by case basis.

To ensure that this small but sensitive caseload receives timely review in a consistent manner the Principal Member has decided to upgrade the sponsorship bar caseload from Priority 2 to Priority 1 status. This means these cases will be considered for constitution as soon as possible and no later than 21 calendar days from the date on which the case was allocated Priority 1 status, including cases where the Department’s documents have not yet been received. Members and officers are required to have regard to the priority assigned to a case when dealing with it.

Any comments on this decision may be emailed to Ailsa.Wilson@mrt-rrt.gov.au or sent by facsimile to (02) 9276 5099.

Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Review Tribunal Annual Report 2006-07

On 21 December 2007 the Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Review Tribunal Annual Report 2006-07 was tabled in Parliament. The Annual Report is now publicly available.

PMD 3/2007 Conduct of hearings

Principal Member Direction 3/2007 (PMD 3/2007) on the conduct of hearings is now available. This PMD provides guidance to Members of the Tribunals about the provision of information to applicants during hearings of the Tribunals in the context of the implementation of the Migration Amendment (Review Provisions) Act 2007. It applies to applications for review made to the Tribunals on or after 29 June 2007. Any comments on PMD 3/2007 may be emailed to .

Principal Member Direction 2/2007

Principal Member Direction 2/2007 (MRT-RRT) - Caseload and Constitution Policy is now available. This Direction replaces Principal Member Direction 1/2006 with effect from 1 August 2007.

Tribunals' Plan 2007-2010

The Tribunals’ Plan 2007-2010 sets out the Tribunals' key strategic aims and priorities, core business processes and outcomes and core values. It replaces the MRT-RRT Corporate Plan 2005-2007.

Invitation to comment on the draft Tribunals’ Plan by cob Tuesday 1 May 2007

The Tribunals have been developing a Tribunals’ Plan to replace the MRT-RRT Corporate Plan 2005-07. It is intended that the Plan should be a high level document setting out the Tribunals' key strategic aims and priorities, its core business processes and outcomes, the leadership model and core values.

We welcome any comments on the draft of the Tribunals’ Plan by cob Tuesday, 1 May 2007 to . The current Corporate Plan is available on the Tribunals’ websites.

'Drawing Together ... '

'Drawing Together...' is an art competition exploring reconciliation and promoting the employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian Public Service.

''Drawing Together ... ' comprises two key components - a national art competition exploring the theme of reconciliation, and an art exhibition of some of Australia's finest Indigenous artwork from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Art Collection.

Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Review Tribunal Annual Report 2005-06

On 18 October 2006 the Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Review Tribunal Annual Report 2005-06 was tabled in Parliament. The Annual Report (pdf format - 3mb) is now publicly available. A more user friendly HTML version of the Report will also be available in due course.

Guidance on the Assessment of Credibility

The Guidance on the Assessment of Credibility sets out general guidance concerning the assessment of credibility by the Migration Review Tribunal (MRT) and the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT).

New Principal Member Direction

On 21 June 2006, the Principal Member of the Migration Review Tribunal and the Refugee Review Tribunal issued a new Direction relating to the Tribunals' Caseload and Constitution Policy for 2006-07. The new direction Principal Member Direction 1/2006 Tribunals' Caseload and Constitution Policy is now available. This policy is designed to support high quality reviews and decisions; independence and impartiality in decision-making; improving the timeliness of reviews; and giving priority to cases based on the circumstances of individual cases.

Statement of Expectations and Statement of Intent

As part of the implementation of Government's response to the Report on the Review of the Corporate Governance of Statutory Authorities and Office Holders (the Uhrig Report),), the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has provided the Migration Review Tribunal and the Refugee Review Tribunal with a Statement of Expectations.

The Principal Member of the Tribunals has responded with a Statement of Intent, which includes key performance indicators for the Tribunals.