The guidance and appeals panel is a way of constituting the Tribunal at a more senior level to:

  (a)   review some decisions made by decision - makers; or

  (b)   re - review some decisions that have been reviewed by the Tribunal.

Broadly, the circumstances in which the Tribunal may be constituted as a guidance and appeals panel are as follows:

  (a)   there is an issue of significance to administrative decision - making;

  (b)   a Tribunal decision may contain an error of fact or law materially affecting the Tribunal decision.

The first way a guidance and appeals panel proceeding can start is that an application to the Tribunal may be referred to the guidance and appeals panel by the President.

The second way is that, after the Tribunal has affirmed, varied or set aside a decision made by a decision - maker, a party to the Tribunal proceeding may apply to the President to refer the matter to the guidance and appeals panel. Timeframes apply to applications, but may be extended in some circumstances. The application to refer the matter does not affect the operation of the Tribunal decision unless the Tribunal orders otherwise.

If the President decides to refer the matter to the guidance and appeals panel, the Tribunal constituted as the guidance and appeals panel reviews the decision of the decision - maker, as affected by the earlier Tribunal review. Some different Tribunal powers and procedures apply in relation to guidance and appeals panel proceedings.

Only some kinds of Tribunal decisions can be referred to the guidance and appeals panel. For these decisions, a party to the proceeding in which the Tribunal decision is made can choose to apply to refer the matter to the guidance and appeals or to appeal on a question of law to the Federal Court under Part   7.

This Part   contains the standard provisions for guidance and appeals panel proceedings. Other legislation can include provisions that apply in addition to, or instead of, these standard provisions.