Qualifications of Mediators

The practice of the District Court is that it will only list a mediation conference or a special appointment pre-trial conference before an accredited Mediator or Registrar who is a recent appointment in the process of becoming an accredited mediator. Pre-trial conferences may be listed before any Registrar, but in practice they will also be listed before a Registrar who is an accredited mediator.  

The accredited mediators in the District Court are:

• Judge Stevenson
• Principal Registrar Melville
• Registrar Kingsley
• Registrar Kubacz
• Deputy Registrar Harman
• Deputy Registrar Hewitt.

Accredited mediators are required to comply with the practice standards issued by the National Mediator Accreditation Committee. The Practice Standards provide that they are subject to:

• Any legislative requirements, which will prevail to the extent of any inconsistency (e.g. Rules of Court).
• Any professional or organisational requirements relating to how participants enter into the mediation process, which again will prevail to the extent of any inconsistency. 

The Practice Standards provide that the accredited mediator will do things like:

• Ensure that the parties understand the process that will be followed.
• Outline the mediator’s role in the process.
• Advise the parties of the confidentiality surrounding the mediation.
• Conduct the mediation in an impartial manner.

District Court accredited mediators abide by the ethical standards as published by the Law Council of Australia from time to time, as applicable to lawyer mediators, as adapted to operate within the court system.

Complaints against accredited mediators

Complaints about the conduct of a Judge or Registrar acting as a mediator are dealt with in accordance with the (Protocol for Complaints against Judicial Officers in Western Australian Courts) as published on 27 August 2007.

The complaint should be in writing and be addressed to:

Chief Judge
District Court of Western Australia
500 Hay Street
PERTH WA 6000

Last updated: 1-Jul-2019

[ back to top ]