198Preliminary evaluation

198 Preliminary evaluation

(1)  [Section 198 Subsection (1) amended by No. 18 of 2021, s. 269, Applied:05 Nov 2021] The President may direct the Registrar or a Tribunal staff member to –

(a) [Section 198 Subsection (1) amended by No. 18 of 2021, s. 269, Applied:05 Nov 2021] do a preliminary evaluation of any application for the purposes of this Act; and

(b) report to the Tribunal accordingly.

(2)  Without limiting subsection (1) , the preliminary evaluation may extend to provisionally assessing the merits of the application, provisionally checking any claims or facts and ascertaining whether the application has any particular urgency or special features or is likely to require a hearing.

(3)  The preliminary evaluation does not bind the Tribunal in any way.

(4)  [Section 198 Subsection (4) omitted by No. 18 of 2021, s. 269, Applied:05 Nov 2021] .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

(5)  [Section 198 Subsection (5) amended by No. 18 of 2021, s. 269, Applied:05 Nov 2021] Despite the direction under subsection (1) , the Registrar or Tribunal staff member may remit the matter to the President at any time (or seek directions) if the Registrar or staff member reasonably considers that –

(a) [Section 198 Subsection (5) amended by No. 18 of 2021, s. 269, Applied:05 Nov 2021] the matter may be beyond the Registrar's or Tribunal member’s competence; or

(b) a hearing may be required; or

(c) it may not, for some other reason, be an appropriate matter for preliminary evaluation.