I have an upcoming hearing at the AAT but I live several hours away from Sydney where the hearing is being held. Can I just attend by telephone or videolink?
Lawyer Answers (1): Answers from lawyers are general preliminary responses. They are not formal legal advice and cannot taken account of all your circumstances. They do not create a lawyer–client relationship.
Answer by Cressey Wallwork, Swanbourne 6010 WA
- No. Usually you cannot attend an AAT hearing by telephone although you may be able to attend preliminary conferences and preliminary hearings by telephone.
- The tribunal prefers you to be present at the hearing to give your evidence and answer questions in person.
- Sometimes the tribunal can decide the application on the papers alone and there is no need for anyone to attend a hearing.
- However some state tribunals such as QCAT are more flexible and do allow attendance via telephone. You need to make an application for attendance this way and you need to request the other parties to agree to your attendance in this way. The tribunal will make the ultimate decision and will consider factors such as the difficulty and inconvenience it will have on you to physically attend, the complexity of the matter and the safety and security of the parties.