Treloar and Secretary, Department of Social Services (Social services second review)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) considered an application by Mr Treloar for review of a decision concerning the recoverability of a debt. The Secretary of the Department of Social Services opposed the application. The core of the dispute revolved around whether the issues raised by Mr Treloar had already been determined by the Tribunal in a previous proceeding.

The Tribunal was required to determine two primary legal issues. Firstly, it had to ascertain whether the matter in dispute constituted a "decision made under the social security law" for the purposes of the *Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975* (Cth). Secondly, the Tribunal had to assess whether Mr Treloar's application for review had reasonable prospects of success, a prerequisite for proceeding under section 42B of the Act.

Deputy President Bean P reasoned that the issues Mr Treloar sought to have reviewed had been previously considered and determined by the Tribunal in an earlier matter. Consequently, the Tribunal found that the application for review lacked reasonable prospects of success. The Tribunal therefore dismissed the application pursuant to section 42B of the *Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975*.