With so many different levels in the court system, it can be difficult to work out which one is right for you. To help clear things up we’ve provided a list of the disputes that are covered by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).
Anit-Discrimination
Complaints of alleged sexual harassment and discrimination and associated objectionable behaviour including racial and religious vilification and victimisation. Also granting exemptions, reviewing decisions made by the Commissioner and providing opinions related to anti-discrimination matters. Find out more here
Building Disputes
Domestic and commercial building disputes, disciplinary proceedings and reviews of decisions by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission and registered adjudicator decisions. Find out more here
Children and Young People
Child protection matters, adoption applications, blue card applications, prohibiting a person from entering an educational facility. Find out more here
Clinical Research
The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) may approve clinical research, which seeks to include persons with impaired decision making capacity. Find our more here
Consumer and Trader Disputes
Disputes valued up to and including $25,000 arising out of a contract for the supply of goods and services including the repair of a defect in a motor vehicle. Find out more here
Debt Disputes
Disputes against another person, business or company about a fixed or agreed sum of money valued up to and including $25,000 (excluding interest) e.g. a debt resulting from overhanging branches, an IOU or money lent and not repaid. Find out more here
Decision-making for Adults with Impaired Capacity
QCAT can make decisions about decision-making for adults with impaired capacity, including financial decisions (administrators) and personal and health decisions (guardians). Find our more here
Minor Civil Disputes
Disputes valued up to and including $25,000 (excluding interest) including debt disputes, consumer disputes, residential tenancy disputes, property damage disputes and dividing fence disputes. Find our more here
Motor Vehicle Disputes
Motor vehicle disputes up to $100,000 for new and old vehicles with numerous defects that reoccur despite multiple repair attempts or where defects have caused a motor vehicle to be out of service for a prolonged period of time. Find out more here
Other Civil Disputes
Tree disputes, body corporate and community management scheme disputes, financial losses caused by motor and property agents, integrated resort development matters, legal cost agreement claims, manufactured home park disputes, retirement village disputes and Sanctuary Cove Resort disputes. Find out more here
Occupational Regulation
Disciplinary proceedings and licencing decisions for architects, building personnel, health practitioners, introduction agents, legal practitioners, motor dealers, nursing practitioners, plumbers and drainers, prescribed persons who are public servants or police officers, professional engineers, property agents, racing personnel, second-hand dealers and pawnbrokers, security providers, surveyors, tattooists and tattoo business operators, teachers, tour operators, travel agents, valuers and veterinary surgeons. Find out more here
Residential Tenancy Disputes
A wide range of disputes between tenants, landlords (lessors) or agents and residents, providers of, or agents for rooming accommodation. Find out more here
Review of Administrative Decisions
Decisions made by government agencies and other bodies including statutory authorities. Find out more here
Special Health Care
Some medical procedures and health care require consent from the Supreme Court or QCAT. Find out more here
Jurisdictions not included in QCAT
A number of significant bodies that make civil or administrative decisions were not amalgamated into QCAT and not are not within QCAT jurisdiction:
- the Mental Health Review Tribunal and the Mental Health Court
- bodies making decisions about development or planning and environment issues including the Planning and Environment Court, the Land Court and the Building and Development Tribunals
- industrial dispute bodies including the Industrial Court, the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission and the review functions of the Public Service Commission.
If you have QCAT documents that need to be served, you can contact Allnorth.
*Disclaimer – The above information was taken from the Court website as accurate in September 2021. If any changes are made by the court from that date they may not be reflected in this post.
