Where an administrative decision-maker provides inadequate reasons, the affected party's remedy under the Administrative Law Act 1978 (Vic) is to seek further reasons under s 8(4), not to seek relief under s 7 on the basis that inadequacy of reasons itself constitutes an error of law. A bare statement that conduct falls within a statutory definition, without any explanation of why, constitutes a conclusion rather than a reason and is inadequate. However, the adequacy of reasons must be assessed by reference to the nature of the decision-making task, and the classification of a complaint as disciplinary has lasting consequences for a practitioner that must be reflected in the standard of reasons required.
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