NSW Port Macquarie NCAT CCD List Today

The Port Macquarie NCAT Consumer and Commercial Division hearing venue sits at the heart of the Mid North Coast justice network, giving residents and businesses across the Port Macquarie-Hastings region a local forum to resolve everyday disputes without travelling to Sydney. Hearings for this venue are conducted at the Port Macquarie Court House, 24-28 Murray Street, Port Macquarie NSW 2444, where the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) sits alongside the Local and District Courts. If you have received a notice of hearing, the fastest way to confirm your matter is to check the daily NCAT hearing list by party name or case file number before you attend, because listing times and hearing rooms can change at short notice.

NCAT allocates Consumer and Commercial Division matters to the venue closest to the property, contract or dispute. In practice, this means tenancy matters are listed at the venue nearest the rental premises, and home building matters are heard closest to the building at the centre of the dispute. For claimants and respondents living between Wauchope, Laurieton, Kempsey, Camden Haven and the wider Hastings, the Port Macquarie sitting removes the need for long-distance travel and keeps regional disputes anchored in the community where they arose.

What the Port Macquarie NCAT Consumer and Commercial Division handles

The Consumer and Commercial Division (CCD) is the single busiest part of NCAT, and the range of matters listed at Port Macquarie reflects that breadth. The division resolves residential tenancy disputes, social housing matters, consumer claims about faulty goods and services, motor vehicle disputes, home building claims, strata and community scheme disagreements, retail lease disputes, retirement village issues and residential community matters. Most of these cases are between everyday parties: a tenant and a landlord, a homeowner and a builder, a consumer and a supplier, or a lot owner and an owners corporation.

To put the scale in perspective, the CCD historically accounts for the overwhelming majority of the Tribunal's total workload. In the 2023-24 financial year NCAT received 71,223 applications, and the Consumer and Commercial Division alone accounted for roughly 52,000 filings, or close to three-quarters of all matters lodged with the Tribunal. Tenancy is by far the largest single category: in earlier reporting, of the 58,360 applications lodged in the CCD, 44,893 related to residential tenancy matters, which shows how central renting disputes are to the division's daily list at regional venues like Port Macquarie.

Common case types listed at this venue

• Residential tenancy - rent arrears, bond refunds, repairs, termination and non-urgent repairs between tenants and landlords or agents.
• Consumer claims - disputes about goods or services up to a value of $100,000 under the Australian Consumer Law and the Fair Trading Act 1987.
• Motor vehicle disputes - defective vehicles, unsatisfactory repairs and overcharging, with claims of up to $100,000 and unlimited orders available for new vehicle purchases.
• Home building - defective or incomplete residential building work between homeowners and builders or tradespeople.
• Strata and community schemes - by-law breaches, levies, building defects and disputes involving owners corporations.
• Retail leases and retirement villages - commercial tenancy disputes and residents' rights in retirement living.

How to check the Port Macquarie NCAT hearing list

Every party to a Consumer and Commercial Division matter should confirm their listing before the hearing day. NCAT hearing lists are published through the NSW Online Registry and are updated frequently throughout the day, so the safest approach is to search close to your hearing date rather than relying on an older notice. You can search using your case file number, which follows the format 2024/00001234, or by the party name shown on your application.

When you look up your matter, note three details: the date, the scheduled start time, and the hearing room or whether the matter will proceed by telephone or video. NCAT conducts many CCD matters as virtual hearings, so it is worth confirming whether you are required to attend Murray Street in person or dial in. If you cannot find your case, contact the CCD registry on 1300 006 228 during business hours before the hearing rather than waiting until the day.

Practical tips before you attend

• Arrive at least 20 to 30 minutes early to allow time for security screening and to locate your hearing room.
• Bring three copies of every document you intend to rely on: one for you, one for the other party and one for the Tribunal Member.
• Organise your evidence in date order and prepare a short, clear summary of what you are asking NCAT to decide.
• If you need an interpreter, arrange it in advance through the registry, and note that NCAT staff can give procedural information but not legal advice.

Applying to NCAT and lodging online

The Consumer and Commercial Division is designed to be accessible and low-cost, and the Tribunal has moved most of its intake online. Across recent reporting years, more than 82 per cent of Consumer and Commercial Division applications have been lodged online through NCAT Online Services, and in the 2024-25 year that figure rose to 83.3 per cent. Online lodgement links directly to your case, gives you an immediate confirmation email with your case number, and lets you manage secondary requests such as adjournments, consent orders and reinstatements without posting paper forms.

If your matter cannot be lodged online, the relevant PDF application form can be downloaded and submitted to the registry instead. Fees apply to most applications, and NCAT reviews its fees and charges annually, with the current schedule taking effect from 1 July each year. Concession rates are available for eligible applicants, so it is worth checking your entitlement before you pay the standard filing fee.

Why regional venues like Port Macquarie matter

NCAT is one of the largest and busiest tribunals in Australia, and its regional footprint is a core part of how it delivers access to justice. In the 2024-25 year the Tribunal held hearings, case conferences, conciliations, directions and mediation sessions across 45 locations throughout New South Wales, and achieved an overall clearance ratio of 95.9 per cent, meaning it finalised almost as many matters as it received. That statewide reach is what allows a tenant in Port Macquarie or a homeowner in Wauchope to have their dispute heard locally rather than in a metropolitan registry hundreds of kilometres away.

The volume of matters moving through NCAT underlines why reliable listing information is so valuable. In 2022-23 the Tribunal recorded 76,437 applications and 93,324 hearings and listing events; in 2023-24 it held 104,837 hearings and other listing events. With tens of thousands of consumer, tenancy and commercial matters listed every year, checking an accurate, up-to-date hearing schedule is the single most practical step a party can take to avoid missing a listing or attending on the wrong day.

The Port Macquarie courthouse and its place in the local justice system

Port Macquarie has a long judicial history. The town was gazetted as a place for trial by jury in 1838, and the heritage-listed old courthouse on Clarence Street, designed by colonial architect James Barnet and built in 1869, remains a landmark of the region's legal past. Today the working courthouse at 24-28 Murray Street serves as the shared home for NCAT sittings, the Local Court and the District Court, making it a central hub for civil, criminal and administrative matters across the Hastings. For parties whose dispute falls outside NCAT's jurisdiction, the same precinct hosts the Port Macquarie Local Court list for criminal, traffic and civil matters heard before a Magistrate.

Because CCD hearings are allocated by proximity to the dispute, the Port Macquarie venue draws matters from a wide catchment across the Mid North Coast. This regional model keeps evidence, witnesses and site inspections close at hand, which is particularly important in tenancy and home building cases where the condition of a property is often central to the outcome.

How Port Macquarie compares with other NCAT venues

NCAT's regional and metropolitan venues all operate under the same legislation and procedures, but caseloads differ significantly by location. Larger centres such as Sydney, Parramatta and Liverpool carry the heaviest CCD lists, while regional venues like Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Tamworth and Newcastle handle a steady flow of local tenancy and consumer matters. If your dispute connects to another part of the state, you may need to check a different venue's schedule, such as the NCAT Newcastle hearing list or the busy NCAT Liverpool list, both of which serve much larger populations. For a complete statewide overview, the NSW court and tribunal lists bring every sitting court and tribunal venue together in one place.

Frequently asked questions

What does CCD stand for at Port Macquarie NCAT?

CCD stands for the Consumer and Commercial Division, the part of NCAT that resolves tenancy, consumer, motor vehicle, home building, strata and retail lease disputes. It is the Tribunal's largest division and accounts for close to three-quarters of all applications lodged with NCAT each year.

Where are Port Macquarie NCAT hearings held?

Consumer and Commercial Division hearings are held at the Port Macquarie Court House, 24-28 Murray Street, Port Macquarie NSW 2444. Some matters are conducted by telephone or video, so check your notice of hearing to confirm whether you need to attend in person.

How do I find my NCAT case in the hearing list?

Search the NSW Online Registry court and tribunal lists using your case file number in the format 2024/00001234, or by the party name on your application. Lists are updated frequently, so check close to your hearing date for the most accurate time and venue.

How much can I claim in the Consumer and Commercial Division?

Consumer claims and motor vehicle disputes can be heard up to a value of $100,000. For disputes about the purchase of a new motor vehicle, NCAT can make orders for an unlimited sum. Different limits and rules apply to tenancy, strata and home building matters.

Do I need a lawyer at NCAT?

NCAT is designed for people to represent themselves, and in most Consumer and Commercial Division matters you do not need a lawyer. Parties generally require the Tribunal's leave to be represented. Registry staff can explain the process and procedure, but they cannot give you legal advice.

What should I bring to my hearing?

Bring three copies of every document you rely on, arrange your evidence in date order, and prepare a concise summary of the orders you are seeking. Arrive early to clear security and find your hearing room, and arrange an interpreter in advance if you need one.