How to do well on the day
You want to make a good, strong presentation. You want the hearing panel to focus on your statement and on your evidence. Keep your statement simple, make your key points clear, speak clearly, and be yourself.
You can expect the hearing panel to treat you with dignity and respect, and to put you at ease. You should treat them with respect also.
Make it clear and easy to hear
Read your statement clearly and slowly enough to be understood. Try to speak clearly and avoid repeating yourself.
Stick to the point
Everyone is here for the same reason, and needs their views to be heard. The hearing committee 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.
- Don't play on emotions or breach protocol.
Remember the hearing is neutral
Councillors on a hearing committee aren't there as politicians. They're there as decision-makers who have to weigh up both sides of an argument.
- Leave your personal opinions about the council or the applicant of a private plan change outside the door.
- Don't use the hearing as a chance to discuss or argue about other issues. Focus on the issue at hand.
Use an advocate or a lawyer if that will help
- Use an advocate (a spokesperson) if you're nervous about making a submission, or if a group is making a submission and wants one person to speak for you all. The advocate could be a member of your group.
- Use a lawyer as your advocate if your submission explores legal matters, or if you think a professional interpretation of legislation or case law is needed.
Use expert witnesses if that will help
Although there is a requirement for chairs of hearing committees and the majority of members of any hearing committee to be accredited by 2007, members of the hearing panel won't necessarily be experts - they'll want to hear good, solid evidence to help them make a decision. You might need expert witnesses to present evidence about technical topics such as heritage, soil stability or microbiology. If you are not an expert witness, don't pretend to be one.
In a hearing about a private plan change, the applicant might use expert witnesses to support his or her case. This means it might make sense for you to use expert witnesses as well, depending on what your concerns are.
- Stick with what you know, and use expert witnesses such as planning consultants, surveyors, engineers or scientists when you need to.
- Before you start, make sure any professional witness you use support your point of view.
- Check the costs before you employ an expert witness and explore whether the cost of experts can be shared with other submitters. You can get a list of who the other submitters are from the council.
Speaking with other submitters
If the hearing involves many submitters, you may make your submission along with other submitters speaking about the same topic as you. If your written submission covered lots of different issues you might have to go to the hearing on different days.
Council hearings are open to the public - go along to one, and watch how it works. It's the best way to prepare.
