Section 178 — Employment Relations Act 2000: Removal to Court

178 Removal to Court (1) Where a matter comes before the Authority, any party may apply to the Authority to have the matter, or part of it, removed to the Court for the Court to hear and determine it without the Authority investigating the matter. (2) The Authority may order the removal of the matter, or any part of it, to the Court if— (a) an important question of law is likely to arise in the matter other than incidentally; or (b) the case is of such a nature and of such urgency that it is in the public interest that it be removed immediately to the Court; or (c) the Court already has before it proceedings which are between the same parties and which involve the same or similar or related issues; or (d) the Authority is of the opinion that in all the circumstances the Court should determine the matter. (3) Where the Authority declines to remove any matter, or a part of it, to the Court, the party applying for the removal may seek the special leave of the Court for an order of the Court that the matter or part be removed to the Court, and in any such case the Court must apply the criteria set out in paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (2). (4) An order for removal to the Court under this section may be made subject to such conditions as the Authority or the Court, as the case may be, thinks fit. (5) Where the Authority, acting under subsection (2) , orders the removal of any matter, or a part of it, to the Court, the Court may, if it considers that the matter or part was not properly so removed, order that the Authority investigate the matter. (6) This section does not apply— (a) to a matter, or part of a matter, about the procedure that the Authority has followed, is following, or is intending to follow; and (b) without limiting paragraph (a) , to a matter, or part of a matter, about whether the Authority may follow or adopt a particular procedure. Compare: 1991 No 22 s 94 Subsection (6) was inserted, as from 1 December 2004, by section 58 Employment Relations Amendment Act (No 2) 2004 (2004 No 86). See section 73 of that Act for the transitional provisions.