The National Appeals and Reviews Panel

Chairperson – The Honourable Duncan Kerr

Duncan was a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia from 2012 to February 2022. He served as President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal concurrently from 2012 to 2017.

Prior to his appointment to the Federal Court of Australia he practised as a barrister specialising in public law, constitutional and administrative law, refugee and human rights law and appellate work.

Duncan was appointed Senior Counsel in 2004. His work as counsel included significant matters in the High Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea.

Duncan served in the Commonwealth Parliament as the member for Denison for 23 years (1987–2010). He was Attorney-General (1993) and Minister for Justice (1993–1996) in the Keating Government and Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs (2007–2009) in the Rudd Government.

In August 2011 Duncan was conferred with the insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by the Ambassador of France for defending values dear to France and for his role as Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs in enhancing friendly ties between Australia and France.

Before his election to the House of Representatives, Duncan Kerr was, sequentially Crown Counsel for the State of Tasmania, Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Papua New Guinea and Principal Solicitor for the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW).

Duncan’s extensive experience allows him to effectively oversee the review processes of the National Appeals and Review Panel with a strong focus on procedural fairness.