Attorney General John Quigley has welcomed the expansion of full-time members sitting on the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) to 24 as it tackles an increased caseload.
Five of the seven SAT appointees are new, lifting the tribunal's full-time membership group to 19 women and five men. The five-year appointments fill five vacancies and two newly funded positions.
Solicitor Patricia Le Miere and medical doctor Eleanor Marillier have been appointed senior members, while Rebecca Bunney, Jeanette De Klerk, Naomi Eagling, Michelle East and Catherine Sadleir have been named ordinary members. The five ordinary members have legal backgrounds.
The bigger membership group will help the SAT handle the commercial and civil stream's significantly increased workload in building matters and the human rights stream's growth in guardianship and administration matters.
One of the senior member positions became vacant following a retirement and the other became available due to further funding provided by the Department of Justice.
Two of the ordinary member positions were vacant following resignations and another was made possible by funding from the Department of Treasury.
An additional two ordinary member positions became vacant with the appointment of the two existing ordinary members Ms Le Miere and Dr Marillier to fill the senior member positions.
Prior to her appointment as an ordinary SAT member seven years ago, Ms Le Miere worked with the Legal Profession Complaints Committee of the Legal Practice Board between 2005 and 2015 where she became manager of litigation.
Dr Marillier, an ordinary SAT member since January 2020, has worked in WA and UK public hospitals primarily in emergency, obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatrics.
As stated by Attorney General John Quigley:
"I am pleased that the State Administrative Tribunal member base has been bolstered with the appointment of two senior and five ordinary members.
"The funding of two new positions by Government departments will help the SAT handle the demands of a growing workload.
"The seven appointees are highly experienced in their fields and will enhance the Tribunal's capacity to provide fair review of administrative, commercial and personal matters.
"Congratulations to all the new members."
