154Rights of appearance and representation

#### 154 Rights of appearance and representation 154 Rights of appearance and representation (cf 1990 Act, s 274) > > (1) A person appointed to assist the Tribunal in a matter may appear before the Tribunal in relation to any matter in respect of which the person is appointed. > > > (2) A forensic patient or correctional patient having any matter before the Tribunal must, unless the forensic patient or correctional patient decides that he or she does not want to be represented, be represented by an Australian legal practitioner or, with the approval of the Tribunal, by another person of his or her choice. > > > (2A) An assessable person who is before the Tribunal for a mental health inquiry must, unless the person decides that he or she does not want to be represented, be represented by an Australian legal practitioner or, with the approval of the Tribunal, by another person of his or her choice. > > > (3) A patient, other than a forensic patient or correctional patient, or a person detained in a mental health facility having any matter before the Tribunal may be represented by an Australian legal practitioner or, with the approval of the Tribunal, by another person of his or her choice. > > > (4) A person who is under the age of 16 years who has a matter before the Tribunal must be represented by an Australian legal practitioner or, with the approval of the Tribunal, by another person of his or her choice, unless the Tribunal decides that it is in the best interests of the person to proceed without the person being so represented. > > > (5) This section applies to a patient or person who is absent from proceedings held by the Tribunal in relation to the patient or person in the same way as it applies to a patient or person who appears before the Tribunal. > > **s 154:** Am 2008 No 79, Sch 2 \[35\]; 2008 No 107, Sch 16 \[25\]; 2014 No 85, Sch 1 \[79\]; 2018 No 2, Sch 4 \[9\].