How to Prepare a Witness Statement for an Australian Tribunal

You have filed your tribunal application. The hearing date is set. Now the tribunal wants a witness statement — a written version of your evidence, signed and filed before the hearing.

This is the most important document in your case. The tribunal member will read it before the hearing. In many cases, it replaces oral testimony entirely — you may not even need to speak at the hearing if your witness statement is comprehensive.

What a witness statement must include

1. Your identity — full name, address, occupation
2. Your connection to the matter — how you are involved
3. The facts — everything relevant, in chronological order, one fact per paragraph
4. References to evidence — “Exhibited herein and marked Exhibit A is a copy of the invoice dated 15 March 2026”
5. A declaration — “The facts stated in this statement are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief”

Common mistakes

• Opinions instead of facts — “He is dishonest” is an opinion. “He told me the work would cost $5,000 on 15 March. He invoiced $12,000 on 30 April with no variation agreement” is a fact.
• Missing dates — every event needs a date. “Around March” is weak. “On or about 15 March 2026” is strong.
• No exhibits — refer to every key document as a numbered exhibit
• Too long — stick to facts relevant to the dispute. Leave out emotions and irrelevant background.

Get yours prepared

Claim Done prepares your Witness Statement for $49. Tell us what happened, the key dates, and what evidence you have. Outside New South Wales, we draft a statement with numbered paragraphs and exhibit references for you to check and sign. In New South Wales, you get an outline you complete in your own words (NCAT Procedural Direction 7). Done in about 5 minutes.