5.6 Preliminary conferences

Before the stage of a formal hearing is reached, there usually will be at least one preliminary conference between the parties, convened by the AAT. The main purposes of a conference (sometimes conducted by telephone) are to:

• identify the issues in dispute;
• attempt to settle the case by negotiation; and
• if the case cannot be settled at the conference level, to ensure that the issues are properly and expeditiously prepared for hearing by the Tribunal.

Where parties reach agreement at a conference or at any point prior to the hearing, a memorandum of agreement is usually drafted and presented to the Tribunal which then makes an Order in those terms if it has the power to do so.