Administrative Law & Government Disputes
Government decisions can be challenged.
If a government agency has made a decision that affects you — whether Centrelink, the ATO, a licensing body, or a tribunal — you often have the right to seek a review. Submit your request and get connected with an administrative lawyer who can assess your options.
⚠ Administrative review applications have strict time limits — often 28 days from the date of the decision. If you have received an adverse government decision — submit your request immediately.
What You Can Submit
Administrative and government dispute matters handled at all stages.
From challenging a Centrelink debt to appealing a licence decision and lodging FOI requests — submit your matter and an administrative lawyer will follow up promptly.
Centrelink & Social Security Disputes
Challenging Centrelink debt notices, payment suspensions, income and asset assessments, and appealing adverse social security decisions through the AAT or SSAT.
AAT Appeals
Applying to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for merits review of federal government decisions — including immigration, social security, taxation, veterans' affairs, and other matters.
Freedom of Information (FOI) Requests
Lodging FOI requests with federal and state agencies, challenging access refusals, and applying for review of FOI decisions through the OAIC or relevant tribunals.
Government Decision Reviews
Seeking internal reconsideration or external review of adverse government decisions — including licensing, permits, grants, penalties, and regulatory decisions.
Tribunal Appeals
Appealing decisions of state and territory tribunals including VCAT, NCAT, QCAT, and SAT — across planning, tenancy, licensing, and administrative matters.
Licence & Registration Disputes
Challenging refusals, suspensions, or cancellations of professional licences, business registrations, and occupational authorisations by government bodies.
Judicial Review
Seeking judicial review of government decisions in the Federal Court or state Supreme Courts where a decision is tainted by legal error, jurisdictional error, or procedural unfairness.
Government Compensation Claims
Claims against Commonwealth and state government agencies for negligence, wrongful acts, or failures that have caused personal or financial harm.
Privacy & Data Breach Complaints
Complaints to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) about Privacy Act breaches, notifiable data breaches, and misuse of personal information by agencies or businesses.
Does This Sound Like You?
Common situations we help with.
You've received an adverse government decision and don't know your rights
A government agency has made a decision that significantly affects you — financially, professionally, or personally — and the decision notice mentions review rights but you're not sure what they mean or how quickly you need to act.
Centrelink has hit you with a debt you don't believe you owe
Centrelink has issued a debt notice — claiming you were overpaid or received payments you weren't entitled to. The amount is wrong, the period is incorrect, or the decision didn't take your circumstances into account properly.
Your professional licence has been suspended or cancelled
A licensing body or regulator has suspended or cancelled your licence — preventing you from working immediately. You need urgent advice on whether a stay of the decision or an expedited review is available.
A government agency refused your FOI request or redacted everything
You submitted a Freedom of Information request and the agency refused access, applied excessive exemptions, or took too long to respond. You want to challenge the refusal and get access to the documents you're entitled to.
You weren't given a fair hearing before a decision was made
The decision-maker didn't give you an opportunity to respond, relied on information you weren't shown, or failed to consider submissions you made. A decision affected by procedural unfairness may be challengeable by judicial review.
A tribunal ruled against you and you want to appeal
The AAT, VCAT, NCAT, or another tribunal has decided against you. You believe the decision involved a legal error or that the merits weren't properly assessed. You want to know whether an appeal is available and how quickly you need to act.
How It Works
One request. The right administrative lawyer.
Describe the government decision and how it has affected you in plain language. An administrative lawyer will assess your review rights, identify any deadlines, and explain the options available.
Submit Your RequestDescribe the decision
Submit the form with your contact details, state, the agency involved, and a brief summary of the decision. Mention the date of the decision and any review deadlines stated in the notice.
Rights are assessed
Your matter is reviewed to identify what review rights exist, whether any deadlines are approaching, and which pathway — internal review, AAT, tribunal, or judicial review — is most appropriate.
Follow-up is arranged
An administrative lawyer contacts you to discuss the decision and the available options. Urgent matters — imminent deadlines, licence suspensions — are treated as highest priority.
Information That Helps
What to include in your request.
The clearer your summary, the easier it is to identify review rights and assess urgency.
The name of the government agency or body that made the decision.
The date the decision was made and the date you received the notice.
Any review rights or timeframes mentioned in the decision notice.
The practical impact of the decision — financial loss, inability to work, loss of entitlements.
Whether an internal review or reconsideration has already been sought and the outcome.
Any supporting documents — the original decision notice, correspondence with the agency, or evidence you believe was not considered.
Urgent administrative situations
If any of the following apply, include it clearly so your request can be flagged as urgent.
Submitting this form does not create a lawyer-client relationship and does not replace formal legal advice.
Coverage
Administrative law requests accepted from all states and territories.
28 Days
Typical window to apply for AAT review of a government decision — missing it may permanently forfeit your right to challenge
All 8 States
Administrative law specialists matched across every Australian state and territory
Free
Initial consultation — understand your review rights and deadlines before deciding how to respond
Many Overturned
Government decisions are successfully challenged more often than people expect — particularly where procedural unfairness or legal error is involved
Before You Apply
Practical questions about challenging government decisions.
What is the difference between merits review and judicial review? +
Merits review (at the AAT or a tribunal) involves a fresh examination of the facts and the law — the reviewer can substitute their own decision for the original. Judicial review (in a court) is limited to legal errors — it does not reconsider the facts but can set aside a decision tainted by jurisdictional error, procedural unfairness, or legal mistake. Which pathway is appropriate depends on the nature of the error in the original decision.
What happens if I miss the review deadline? +
Missing a review deadline is serious — the decision typically becomes final and cannot be challenged through that pathway. In some cases you can apply for an extension of time, but this is not automatic and the tribunal or court has a discretion to refuse. The further you are past the deadline, the harder it becomes. Prompt legal advice is essential if a deadline has recently passed.
Can I challenge a Centrelink debt if I genuinely received the payments? +
Yes — receiving a payment does not necessarily mean you owe a debt. Common successful challenges include: the debt calculation was based on incorrect income data, Centrelink failed to account for a period of non-receipt, the payment was made due to Centrelink error, or the circumstances did not give rise to an obligation to report in the way alleged. Even where a debt exists, the amount may be wrong or the recovery method challengeable.
Can I get a stay of a licence suspension while I appeal? +
In many cases yes — tribunals and courts have the power to grant a stay of a decision pending the outcome of a review or appeal. A stay prevents the suspension taking effect (or reverses it) while the matter is resolved. Applications for stays are urgent and must typically be made promptly after the decision. The strength of the arguable case and the balance of convenience are key factors in whether a stay will be granted.
What is the AAT and how does it work? +
The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) provides independent merits review of federal government decisions. It hears applications from individuals and businesses who disagree with decisions made by government agencies — including Centrelink, the ATO, immigration, veterans' affairs, and many others. The AAT can affirm, vary, or set aside the original decision and substitute its own. Many matters are resolved through informal conciliation before a formal hearing.
Does requesting an internal review pause the external review deadline? +
It depends on the legislative scheme. In some cases, requesting internal reconsideration resets the external review clock — the deadline runs from the date of the internal review decision. In others, the external deadline runs from the original decision regardless. Getting this wrong can result in losing external review rights. A lawyer can identify which regime applies and whether any deadlines are at risk.
Have a question not covered here? Submit your request and an administrative lawyer will be in touch.
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