sentences:  Downes was appointed judge of the Federal Court of Australia and President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2002.He is the immediate past Chair of the Council of Australasian Tribunals (COAT) and a past member of the Council of the Australian Institute of Judicial Administration (AIJA).In November 2007 he assumed, with Chief Justice Michael Black of the Federal Court, co-presidency of the International Association of Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions (IASAJ).