2.1Jurisdiction is central to the operation of all tribunals. They must act only within the jurisdiction that is conferred on them by legislation and, in doing so, they must exercise only the powers conferred on them.

13.1Precedent is used with different meanings. It may refer to the principles that determine a decision’s authority and relevance in a later case, to the proposition for which a decision is authority, or to the decision itself. It is sometimes described as a doctrine, but that adds nothing. It is often referred to as stare decisis.

14.1Tribunals must act within their statutory jurisdiction, because that defines the limits of their power. They must act judicially, because that is their nature. They must decide the issues that arise for resolution, because that is their function. And they must make decisions that are clear, sufficiently complete and capable of being implemented, because the discharge of their duty to decide...