VCAT Annual Report 2018-19 now available

Our highlights of the year included:

established that online dispute resolution (ODR) could increase access to justice, by conducting an innovative Victorian-first pilot that involved 65 online hearings of small civil claims
realised benefits from releasing our online Guardianship Hub to hospitals, reducing by an average of 1.5 weeks the time a patient spends in hospital waiting for their hearing and subsequent discharge
created performance dashboards for alternative dispute resolution (ADR), to identify areas for continuous improvement of ADR and to assist in evidence-based decision making about its use
conducted gold-standard UX research, including a diary study that asked VCAT users to document their interactions with the tribunal during their case, to inform correspondence and service improvements
expanded the reach of the Fast Track Mediation and Hearing service to Hume and Loddon Mallee regions and increased the threshold to $10,000 at our King St venue
created the Planning and Environment Division (previously part of the Administrative Division) to provide a platform for greater support and case management for this specialist jurisdiction.
launched the Empowering You and Leader as Coach programs, building coaching and leadership skills for staff and improving how staff build relationships.