Sessional Ordinary Member

Description:

Duration: up to 5 years
Number of Positions Available: Multiple
Closing Date: 11:30 PM, Sunday 25 May 2025

About the Opportunity

The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) is seeking applications for appointment as an Ordinary Member of the Tribunal. Ordinary Members are non-judicial officers appointed by her Excellency the Governor for a term of three to five years.

SACAT is a state tribunal that helps people in South Australia to resolve matters within civil and administrative law, either through agreement at a conference or mediation, or through a decision at a hearing. SACAT also conducts reviews of certain State Government decisions.

The Tribunal deals with cases in a range of jurisdictions, such as residential tenancies, mental health, guardianship and administration, professional disciplinary reviews and a wide range of administrative decisions made by other areas of Government. In the vast majority of the matters dealt with by SACAT, the parties are unrepresented.

SACAT has been established for ten years, utilises end-to-end digital systems and strives for continuous improvement, efficiency, accessibility and the delivery of fair outcomes.

Appointees must:
1. be a legal practitioner of at least 5 years standing; or
2. have extensive knowledge, expertise or experience relating to a class of matter within the Tribunal’s jurisdiction.

Experience as a tribunal member or in appearing in tribunals or in alternative dispute resolution is desirable.

SACAT currently has approximately 40 Ordinary Members, of whom seven are salaried and the remainder are sessional. This recruitment process directed at attracting sessional Members will allow the Tribunal to ensure that it has the optimal mix of skill within the cohort, and the appropriate balance of part-time, full-time and sessional Members. Ordinary sessional member rates are currently $396.40 per four-hour session.

Sessional Members sit as frequently as six or eight sessions per week or as little as one session per month. In the first year of appointment, a sessional Member will usually benefit from conducting two four-hour sessions per week to gather the necessary familiarity with the work and the processes of the Tribunal. Salaried members are usually appointed from the pool of existing sessional members.

A Member of SACAT must not engage in other work that presents a conflict of interest or duty with the role of Member.
For confidential discussions about the role, please contact Anne Lindsay, Principal Registrar, at governance@sacat.sa.gov.au.

Expressions of interest should take the form of a curriculum vitae and a short two page covering letter.

For further information, see the Job Pack attached to the advertisement.

About the Business

The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) is a state tribunal that helps South Australians resolve issues within specific areas of law, either through agreement at a conference, conciliation or mediation, or through a decision of the Tribunal at hearing. SACAT also conducts reviews of Government decisions. SACAT strives to be accessible and responsive to customer needs, and deals with cases in a large range of areas (or jurisdictions). The Tribunal operates across the state of South Australia and is a key part of the state justice system.

For more information about the Attorney-General’s Department and SACAT, please visit https://www.agd.sa.gov.au/ .

Special Conditions for Employment

Employment is dependent upon a National Police Certificate clearance that the AGD finds satisfactory. Successful applicants will be provided further information if an interview is requested. Forms are not to be lodged directly with SA Police (SAPOL) under any circumstances and any fees incurred by applicants in doing so will not be recoverable from the AGD.

An Employment-related Screening Check required.

Additional Notes

Expressions of interest should take the form of a curriculum vitae and a short two page covering letter.
For further information, see the Job Pack attached to the advertisement.

For enquiries about this exciting opportunity that is not covered by this website please contact Anne Lindsay, Principal Registrar, SACAT on 7424 6636 or governance@sacat.sa.gov.au.

Click Apply and follow the prompts to submit your application.

The Attorney-General’s Department values workplace diversity and is committed to providing a supportive, inclusive and respectful work environment.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and people with disability are strongly encouraged to apply.

The South Australian public sector supports flexible ways of working including part-time working arrangements wherever reasonably possible. The sector is diverse and desires to increase in diversity and to create opportunities for more South Australians.

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment process and supportive workplace. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of application via the contact above or our website https://www.agd.sa.gov.au/ .

Flexibility Statement
The South Australian public sector promotes diversity and flexible ways of working including part-time. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the flexible working arrangements for this role.