Representation in the Tribunal

You can choose to have any, all or none of the following people to support and assist you or speak on your behalf in the Tribunal.

Representative: Someone to receive communications from the Tribunal for you

  • If you don’t want to receive communications from the Tribunal yourself, you can choose someone else to get them instead.
  • You can choose anyone to be your representative – a friend, lawyer, workmate or family member. It doesn’t have to be the same person who speaks on your behalf at Tribunal conferences and hearings (i.e. your advocate), but it can be.
  • If you plan to use a representative, you should let the Tribunal know as soon as possible who they are and how to contact them.

Advocate: Someone to speak on your behalf at the Tribunal

  • If you don’t want to speak at the Tribunal, you can choose someone else to speak on your behalf.
  • If your advocate is also your representative, this person will receive all your documents and communications.
  • You can choose different advocates for different stages of the proceedings. For example, you may choose your counsellor for your evidence as the homeowner; your neighbour for the other non-technical evidence; your friend’s engineer son when the engineers are giving their evidence; and your lawyer for the submissions.
  • You don’t need to let the Tribunal know who this person is in advance. They can just introduce themselves at the meeting or hearing.

Support person

  • You can bring a support person with you to Tribunal meetings and hearings.
  • This person’s only role is to support you - they don’t speak in any of the conferences or hearings.
  • Again, this person can be anyone you choose – a friend, colleague or family member.