Australian Capital Territory
ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Non-Presidential Members) Appointment 2013 (No 1)
Disallowable instrument DI2013–266
made under the  
ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2008, s 96 (Appointment of non-presidential members)
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

This instrument appoints Mr Roger Pegrum as a part-time, senior member of the ACAT for a period from the commencement of the instrument until 1 April 2015, when a number of other current ACAT appointments expire.

Under section 96 of the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2008, the Attorney-General may appoint a person as an ordinary or senior member of the ACAT.

The Attorney-General may only appoint a person to the tribunal as a non-presidential senior member or ordinary member if satisfied that the person has the experience or expertise to qualify the person to exercise the functions of a senior or ordinary member. 

Section 6 of the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal Regulation 2009 sets out what the Attorney-General must consider in appointing a senior member to the ACAT. Section 6 provides that the Attorney-General must take reasonable steps to ensure that the tribunal has sufficient members with relevant interests, qualifications or experience to allow the tribunal to exercise its functions.  

While the Regulation does not make specific reference to a minimum number of members with town planning experience or expertise being appointed (similar to the requirement for the ACAT to have at least one member who is a psychiatrist for instance), many of the matters that the ACAT hears in its administrative review jurisdiction relate to reviews of planning and development decisions. 

Mr Pegrum has academic and professional qualifications in town planning, urban design, architecture and heritage matters. He worked as an architect for many years and has been involved in building projects across Canberra, including buildings at Government House and the Australian National University. Mr Pegrum has also been the winner of several national urban design competitions and has featured in a range of publications. 

Mr Pegrum’s qualifications and experience qualify him to exercise the functions of a part-time senior member of the ACAT and will ensure that the ACAT maintains a high level of expertise in town planning in particular for its planning and development review jurisdiction.

The General President of the ACAT suggests that Mr Pegrum’s profile matches the needs of the ACAT and that his expression of interest is supported by the Tribunal’s Presidential Members of the ACAT.

Mr Pegrum is not a public servant.