Training Dispute Tribunal General Procedures  

Application

Proceedings in the Training Disputes Tribunal

Effective

Date 1 August 2017

Definitions

  • Applicant - The person making the application
  • Respondent - The person against whom the application is made
  • Form - Notice of Election of Hearing Form
  • TDT - Training Dispute Tribunal
  • TOR - Trainer and Owner Reforms

Introduction

  1. Unless leave is granted to be legally represented,1 the Training Disputes Tribunal (TDT) is generally used by people who represent themselves, rather than retaining a lawyer or other agent. This practice note is issued to encourage parties to only file necessary and relevant documents.

  2. The general procedures in this practice note apply to all proceedings before the TDT unless the Tribunal varies its operation at its discretion in the circumstances of a particular proceeding.

  3. In any proceeding, the Tribunal may, at its discretion, vary the operation of a practice note by direction or order. For example, directions may be made in cases where the claim is significant or the issues are complex.

  4. This practice note should be read in conjunction with the practices and procedures set out in the Trainer and Owner Reform (TOR) Rules under Schedule 1 of the Australian Rules of Racing and the Local Rules (LR).2

Describing the dispute in the Notice of Election of Hearing Form

 

5.The Form must briefly describe what the dispute is about and contain all of the necessary information, including details of the claimed or disputed invoice (or invoices). This can be provided on the Form itself or in a summary that is attached to the Form.

 

6. Supporting documents that explain or are intended to prove the Applicant's claim or dispute - such as invoices or quotes, extracts of a contract and other documents of this nature - must also be attached to the Form.

 

7. Copies of all documents on which you intend to rely in order to support your claim or dispute must be sent to the Tribunal and all other parties to the proceeding within 14 days after receiving notice from the Tribunal that the claim or dispute has been referred to them for determination, or as otherwise ordered by the Tribunal. 

 

1 LR 6H(3).
2 LR 6G, 6H and 61.

8. Prior to the Tribunal fixing a date for the hearing, the Registrar will confirm that all relevant documents have been served by the parties on one another. Once it has been confirmed that the relevant documents have been served by either party on each other the Tribunal will fix a date for the hearing.
 

9. If the hearing needs to be adjourned because some documents have not been served on the Tribunal and all other parties, the applicant may be ordered to pay some or all of the other parties' costs for each additional day taken up in hearing the matter.

Service of documents by the Applicant

10. When filing the Form with Racing Australia, applicants should retain a copy of the Form together with all attachments and supporting documents, for their own records and so they can serve a copy on the respondent/s (see 'Service of Documents' below).
 

11. The applicant must bring copies of these documents to the hearing and, depending on the complexity of the dispute, may be ordered to produce copies of them to the Tribunal either prior to the hearing or on the day of hearing.
 

Service of documents by the Respondent

12. In the interests of fairness, all respondents must send copies of documents relied on in defence of the claim to all other parties to the proceeding as soon as possible. This prevents parties from being "ambushed" at the hearing, which can lead to adjournments. Parties who cause an adjournment in a proceeding may incur hearing fees and could have some costs awarded against them once the matter has been dealt with.
 

13. Respondents should file these documents with the Tribunal and serve them on the other parties to the proceeding within 14 days after receiving the Applicant's documents, or as otherwise ordered by the Tribunal.

 

14. The respondents must bring copies of these documents to the hearing and, depending on the complexity of the dispute, may be ordered to produce copies of them to the Tribunal either prior to the hearing or on the day of the hearing.

 

Ex-Parte Hearings

15. In the event of a party failing to appear at the Tribunal hearing, and the Tribunal being satisfied that relevant documents have been filed with the Tribunal and served on the parties, the Tribunal may proceed to hear the dispute in the absence of such party.

Communicating with the other parties and the Tribunal

16. If the parties write to the Tribunal (for example, to seek leave an adjournment of the hearing), they must send a copy of this correspondence to the other parties.

17. The Tribunal encourages the parties to communicate with each other prior to the hearing. By doing so, the parties may be able to narrow the issues in the dispute, or even settle the matter entirely.

 

18. To avoid disagreements over what has been said, it is best to communicate in writing - either by letter or email. There is no need for the Tribunal to be sent copies of correspondence between the parties.