Australia: Administrative Review Tribunal Appoints 4 New Deputy Presidents

Appointees are Phillip French, Alison Murphy, Robert Olding, Paul Vermeesch The federal government has announced the appointments of Phillip French, Alison Murphy, Robert Olding, and Paul Vermeesch to various terms as four non-judicial deputy presidents of the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). “I congratulate these Non-Judicial Deputy Presidents on their appointments and thank them for their important service to the Australian public,” said Michelle Rowland, Australia’s attorney-general, in a media release. In appointing them under s 207 of the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024, an independent assessment panel considered their suitability for appointment under the Administrative Review Tribunal Act and the Administrative Review Regulations 2024. “These four appointments will add leadership and expertise, further strengthening the ART's capacity to hear cases in a fair and efficient manner,” Rowland said in the media release from the Attorney-General’s Department. The media release noted that the appointments also aim to improve the ART’s accessibility, responsiveness, and intellectual leadership. The Australian Government Solicitor (AGS), a group within the Attorney-General’s Department, congratulated Vermeesch on his appointment as deputy president (administration). “Paul has made a significant contribution to government law and to the development of generations of lawyers,” stated a LinkedIn post from the AGS. “He is respected not only for his expertise and judgement, but also for his generosity, humility and commitment. This appointment recognises Paul's distinguished career in public law and public service.” Vermeesch spent nearly four decades with the AGS, which thanked him for his contributions and wished him well in his new role. In 2024, the federal government established the ART as an independent body. “The Administrative Review Tribunal plays an important role in reviewing decisions that directly affect the everyday lives of Australians,” Rowland said in the department’s media release. Here are some other recent news stories involving the Administrative Review Tribunal. The tribunal recently released a practice direction on the use of generative artificial intelligence in its proceedings, accompanied by an optional checklist to help tribunal users navigate their obligations. Last December, Rowland announced that the sitting federal government had decided to reappoint 11 general members of the tribunal for additional three-year terms in line with s 208 of the Administrative Review Tribunal Act. In September 2025, the federal government highlighted the introduction of the Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, amending the Migration Act 1958 to require the making of decisions “on the papers” or without an oral hearing in reviews of student visa refusals. Enjoy this story? Read about the latest legal appointments on the main page! Subscribe to our FREE newsletter service and we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest breaking news, cutting edge opinion, and expert analysis affecting both your business and the industry as whole. Please enter your email address below and click on Sign Up for daily newsletters from Australasian Lawyer.