Section 276 — Resource Management Act 1991: Evidence

276 Evidence (1) The Environment Court may— (a) Receive anything in evidence that it considers appropriate to receive; and (b) Call for anything to be provided in evidence which it considers will assist it to make a decision or recommendation; and (c) Call before it a person to give evidence who, in its opinion, will assist it in making a decision or recommendation. (1A) The Court may, whether or not the parties consent,— (a) accept evidence that was presented at a hearing held by the consent authority under section 39 : (b) direct how evidence is to be given to the Court. (2) The Environment Court is not bound by the rules of law about evidence that apply to judicial proceedings. (3) The Environment Court may receive evidence written or spoken in Maori and the Maori Language Act 1987 shall apply accordingly. The words “ Environment Court ” in subsections (1) to (3) 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). Subsection (1A) was inserted, as from 10 August 2005, by section 100 Resource Management Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 87). See sections 131 to 135 of that Act as to the transitional provisions.