Ministry of Justice

Canterbury Earthquake Insurance Tribunal (CEIT) COVID-19 protocol at 5 April 2022

1. Canterbury is currently under the COVID-19 Protection Framework. Traffic light: Red. 
2. As a presumption, important CEIT events including: first case management conferences, facilitations, settlement conferences and hearings are conducted with participants appearing in person. This protocol sets out the how the CEIT will operate under red conditions.
   
   Vaccination status
3. COVID-19 vaccines are an important tool to protect the health and safety of those appearing before the CEIT and Tribunal personnel. The protection extends to preventing the spread of covid to other participants and their whānau. All Tribunal Members have volunteered that they are fully vaccinated. 
   
   1. Access will be denied to anyone who is showing signs of illness, or has a body temperature of 38 degrees or higher;
   2. Access will be denied to anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and is required to isolate, or who is a household contact of a confirmed case of COVID- 19;
   3. Surgical masks will be provided at the entry to the courthouse for all those who do not have their own mask;
   4. Cleaning products are available on site to enable staff and lawyers to keep their immediate areas clean;
   5. Hand sanitiser will be readily available within the courtroom.
4. Any concerns about health and safety in the Precinct should be raised with the Manager Justice Services in the first instance.
   
   In the CEIT
5. All attendees are required to wear a surgical mask or a KN95 (or equivalent). Where a mask prevents effective communications, such as when giving evidence or examining a witness, the presiding member may give leave for an attendee to remove their mask.
6. For physical distancing reasons, entry to hearing rooms will be restricted under red conditions. Entry will be limited to CEIT Members, Ministry of Justice staff members, parties, witnesses, and other stakeholders. Accredited news media will have remote access to hearing rooms in order to report CEIT proceedings, and to ensure continued open and transparent justice.
   
   Access to the Court
7. Members of the public (including whānau support for parties) whose presence is not required will not be permitted to enter unless granted permission from the presiding Member. Such permission should be sought in the first instance by email to the Case Manager (which if granted must be supplied to the Court Security Officer at the front entrance). Any applications will need to identify the reason or reasons why permission is sought and will be determined on a case by case basis.
8. All people who enter the Court must scan the QR code before entering or must complete the contact tracing register in order to gain entry to the court. Proof of identification for contact tracing purposes may be requested by Court Security Officers at any time.
9. Any person who is unwell, experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or required to be either in quarantine or self-isolation, is expected to remain at home and will be refused entry to the court.

Chris Boys
Chairperson – Canterbury Earthquake Insurance Tribunal