FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

ANNUAL REPORT 1998 - 1999

APPENDIX 6: WORKLOAD STATISTICS

Introduction

The statistics in this appendix provide comparative historical information in relation to the work of the Court, in particular, comparative statistics concerning aspects of the Court’s jurisdiction.

It should be noted that, in this report, the figures reported may be marginally different from figures reported in previous years. The variations have occurred through refinements or enhancements to the Court’s FEDCAMS database which necessitated the checking or verification and possible variation of data previously entered, and secondly, from random audits of earlier data.

Table 6.1 Summary of Workload Statistics

Total matters - including Corporations Law matters, and also Workplace Relations matters (including IRCA transfers) from 26/5/97)

For comparative purposes, creditors petitions and related applications which have been recorded in the FEDCAMS database since 16 December 1996 have not been included for 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 to enable a true comparison to be shown with earlier years.

The number of creditors petitions and related applications recorded in FEDCAMS for 1996-97 (part-year) was 1,925, for 1997-98 was 3,530 and for 1998-99 was 3,522. These figures are not included in this table but they have been included in the relevant graphs that follow.

Figure 6.1

Matters filed 1994-95 to 1998-99 (including bankruptcy applications from 16 December 1996) Figure 6.2

Matters finalised 1994-95 to 1998-99 (including bankruptcy applications from 16 December 1996)

The number finalised refers to those matters finalised in the relevant financial year regardless of when these matters were originally filed.

From 16 December 1996, the number finalised included creditors' petitions and other bankruptcy

applications as shown below:
1996-97 887
1997-98 3,272
1998-99 3,547

Current Matters 1994-95 to 1998-99 (including bankruptcy applications from 16 December 1996)

A total of 4,831 matters remain current as at 30 June 1999. The age of these are shown in the graph above. The figure of 4,831 includes 114 applications relating to periods before those shown in the graph.

The total filed includes 794 native title matters transferred from the National Native Title Tribunal on 30 September 1998. Of these, 726 remain current at 30 June 1999.

Figure 6.4

Time span to complete Matters completed in the period 1 July 1994 to 30 June 1999 (including bankruptcy applications from 16 December 1996)

70.0%

64.3%

0-6 months 6 - 12 12 - 18 18 - 24 Over 24 months months months months

A total of 27,518 matters were completed during the 5-year period ended 30 June 1999. The time span, from filing to disposition of these matters, are shown in the graph above.

Figure 6.4a

Time span to complete 1995-96 to 1998-99 (including bankruptcy matters from 16 December 1996)

The total number of applications completed for each of the last four years and the time span for completion

are shown below:
Year Number Percentage Of Applications Under 18 Months
1995-96 3,879 83.2
1996-97 4,883 85.1
1997-98 7,357 87.0
1998-99 7,546 90.6

Corporations Law current matters 1994-95 to 1998-99

A total of 239 Corporations Law matters remain current as at 30 June 1999. The age of these are shown in the graph above. The figure of 239 includes 8 matters relating to periods before those shown in the graph.

Table 6.2

Corporations Law current matters - historical 1994-95 to 1998-99 Figure 6.6

Matters Matters Matters Matters Matters
Age of matters current as at current as at current as at current as at current as at
30-Jun-95 30-Jun-96 30-Jun-97 30-Jun-98 30-Jun-99
under 6 months 394 468 194 183 111
6-12 months 96 129 79 59 45
12-18 months 48 74 44 24 20
under 18 months 538 671 317 266 176
18-24 months 29 30 57 30 19
over 24 months 65 41 65 54 44
over 18 months 94 71 122 84 63
Total 632 742 439 350 239

Trade Practices Act matters filed and current 1994-95 to 1998-99

A total of 489 Trade Practices Act matters remain current as at 30 June 1999. The age of these are shown in the graph above. The figure of 489 includes 33 matters relating to periods before those shown in the graph.

Table 6.3

Trade Practices Act current matters - historical 1994-95 to 1998-99

Matters Matters Matters Matters Matters
Age of matters current as at current as at current as at current as at current as at
30-Jun-95 30-Jun-96 30-Jun-97 30-Jun-98 30-Jun-99
under 6 months 206 180 153 104 128
6-12 months 154 166 142 99 108
12-18 months 87 116 86 84 41
under 18 months 447 464 381 287 277
18-24 months 98 98 82 67 51
over 24 months 213 186 177 175 161
over 18 months 311 284 259 242 212
Total 758 746 640 529 489

Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act matters filed and current 1994-95 to 1998-99

A total of 152 Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act matters remain current as at 30 June 1999. The age of these are shown in the graph above. The figure of 152 includes 3 matters relating to periods before those shown in the graph.

Figure 6.7a

Migration Act matters filed and current 1994-95 to 1998-99

A total of 445 Migration Act matters remain current as at 30 June 1999. The age of these are shown in the graph above. There were no matters still current relating to periods before those shown in the graph.

Some migration applications are filed under the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act and these are shown in Table 6.4.

Figure 6.8

Admiralty Act matters filed and current 1994-95 to 1998-99

A total of 100 Admiralty Act matters remain current as at 30 June 1999. The age of these are shown in the graph above. There were no matters still current relating to a period before those shown in the graph.

Figure 6.9

Appeals to the Full Court filed and numbers still current 1994-95 to 1998-99

A total of 279 appeals to the Full Court remain current as at 30 June 1999. The age of these are shown in the graph above. There was one appeal still current relating to the 1993-94 period not shown in the graph.

Figure 6.10

Matters current as at 30 June each year 1994-95 to 1998-99 (including bankruptcy applications from 16 December 1996)

The number of current matters at the end of each year as a percentage of the number of matters filed during

that year is shown below:
year percent
1994-95 80.8
1995-96 87.9
1996-97 80.8
1997-98 60.5
1998-99 60.0

Table 6.4

Applications filed under the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act from 1994-95 to 1998-99.

ENACTMENT UNDER WHICH DECISION MADE 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission 3 5 9 1 2
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection 2 3 3 - 1
Aboriginal Councils and Associations 1 1 2 1 2
Aboriginal Land Rights (N.T.) - 1 1 - 2
Administrative Appeals Tribunal 2 7 3 - -
Aged Care - - - - 1
Aged or Disabled Persons - 1 - - -
Air Force - 1 - - 1
Air Navigation 2 1 - - -
Anti-Dumping Authority - - - 2 3
Audit - - 2 - -
Australia Council 1 - - - -
Australian Citizenship 2 4 - - -
Australian Federal Police 1 - - - 1
Australian Heritage Commission - 1 1 - -
Australian Maritime Safety Authority - - - 2 -
Australian Securities Commission 6 6 3 2 2
A.C.T. Ordinances and Acts - 3 1 4 1
Bankruptcy 3 3 2 - -
Broadcasting 2 1 - - -
Broadcasting Services - 4 7 - -
Child Care - 1 - - -
Child Support (Registration and Collection) 1 - - 2 2
Christmas Island Ordinances and Acts - - 1 - -
Civil Aviation - - - 1 2
Classification (Publications, Film and Computer
Games) - - 1 - -
ENACTMENT UNDER WHICH DECISION MADE 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99
Companies Securities (Interpretation and
Miscellaneous Provisions) 1 - - - -
Compensation (Commonwealth Government
Employees) 2 - - - 1
Crimes 7 5 2 3 4
Customs 5 2 8 1 2
Customs Tariff - - - 1 1
Defence 1 - - 2 2
Defence Force Discipline - 1 - - 1
Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits 1 - - - -
Development Allowance Authority - - 1 - -
Director of Public Prosecution - - 1 - -
Disability Discrimination - - 4 7 2
Disability Services - - - 1 -
Employment, Education and Training 4 - 1 2 -
Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) - 1 - - -
Environmental Protection (Impact of Proposals) 1 2 1 3 2
Excise - - - - 1
Export Control 8 - - - 1
Export Market Development Grants - 1 - - -
Extradition -