Australian Administrative Law

Australian administrative law is the area of law that regulates the decisions of federal government officials, bodies and departments.

Administrative law at a federal level encompasses immigration law, tax law, Centrelink matters, complaints to the Commonwealth Ombudsman, and appeals to the Administrative Appeals Tribunals against decisions made under commonwealth law.

When a government body, official or department makes a decision that affects an individual, it is required to follow certain procedures such as according procedural fairness and giving the person the opportunity to respond to any evidence that may form the basis of a decision that adversely affects them. It is required to take into account relevant consideration and not to take into account irrelevant considerations. It is also required to make a decision that is within its powers If you think a decision has been made by a commonwealth government authority that did not comply with the rules of administrative law, you may want to consider seeking a review of that decision. Strict time limits apply for seeking such a review.

If your matter involves a decision by a state or territory based decision maker, please see our Queensland, Victoria, ACT, New South Wales or Western Australian administrative law pages.