Section 272 — Resource Management Act 1991: Hearing of proceedings

272 Hearing of proceedings (1) The Environment Court shall hear and determine all proceedings as soon as practicable after the date on which the proceedings are lodged with it unless, in the circumstances of a particular case, it is not considered appropriate to do so. (2) The time and place of hearing of proceedings before the Environment Court shall be fixed by the Registrar in accordance with regulations made under this Act. (3) The Registrar shall give not less than 15 working days notice of the time and place fixed for a hearing to every party to the proceedings concerned, except that an Environment Judge may reduce that period in any particular case if he or she thinks fit. (4) If a person who has initiated proceedings before the Environment Court fails without sufficient cause to appear before the Environment Court at the time and place fixed for the hearing, the Environment Court may dismiss the proceedings. The words “ Environment Court ” in subsections (1) and (2) were substituted, as from 2 September 1996, for the words “ Planning Tribunal ” pursuant to section 6(2)(a) Resource Management Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 160). The words “ Environment Court ” in subsection (4) were substituted, as from 2 September 1996, for the word “ Tribunal ” pursuant to section 6(2)(a) Resource Management Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 160).