How to do well on the day

You can expect the panel to treat you with dignity and respect and to put you at ease. You should treat them with respect also.

Read your statement or talk to your submission clearly and slowly enough to be understood. Speak clearly and try not to repeat yourself.

Everyone is here for the same reason, and needs their views to be heard. The panel is only interested in the relevant facts and opinions.

• Stick to the facts in your statement.
• Focus on the environmental matters, not simply what you like and dislike.
• Expand on your submission, but don’t introduce any new issues.
• Don’t repeat yourself or be long-winded.
• Keep calm and polite.

This will keep you in the right frame of mind for any questions from the panel.

If you are presenting evidence, make it as clear and as simple as possible. Give the panel a copy of your data or reports, but focus on the conclusions you have reached or the matters you want them to be aware of.

The hearing panel can take reports or evidence as read (allowing more time for submitters and witnesses to expand on, or clarify, the points raised, and answer any questions the panel might have).

Expert witnesses will generally detail their qualifications or background.

The hearing is neutral

Councillors on a hearing panel aren’t there as politicians. They are decision‑makers who have to weigh up both sides of an argument, and they have been trained in decision-making.

• Leave your personal opinions about the council or the applicant outside the door.
• Don’t use the hearing as a chance to discuss or argue about other issues. Focus on the issue at hand.

Using an advocate or a lawyer

• You may engage an advocate (a spokesperson) if you’re nervous about speaking to the panel, or if you are part of a group that has made a submission and want one person to speak for you all. The advocate could be a member of your group.
• You may use a lawyer as your advocate if your submission explores legal matters, or if you need a professional interpretation of legislation or case law. However, you will need to cover any legal fees you might incur.

Using expert witnesses

The chairs of hearing panels and all members are accredited by completing the Making Good Decisions programme. However, they aren’t necessarily experts. They’ll want to hear solid evidence to help them make a decision.

In a hearing about a private plan change or a resource consent application, the applicant might use expert witnesses to support their case. It might make sense for you to use expert witnesses as well. Remember:

• Stick with what you know. Only expert witnesses can offer opinions on matters that relate to their field of expertise. If you are not an expert witness, don’t pretend to be one or the material you present may be struck out.
• You could use expert witnesses (such as planning consultants, surveyors, engineers or scientists) to present evidence about technical topics (for example, traffic, heritage, soil stability or microbiology).
• Make sure any expert witness you use can present evidence that supports your point of view.
• Expert witnesses are not ‘hired guns’. They must be able to support their own conclusions. They can only give their expert opinion based on the facts. If possible, it is best to avoid using people you have a personal relationship with as expert witnesses, to help the panel be confident that their evidence is independent.
• Check the costs, and whether you can share these with other submitters. You can get a list of the other submitters from the council.

If the hearing involves many submitters and covers a lot of topics (for example, a whole plan review), you may make your submission along with other submitters speaking about the same topic.