Preparing for a public hearing

Dos and don'ts

Do:

be very familiar with your application
be very familiar with the EPA Staff Assessment Report
be familiar with the evidence that your witnesses are going to present
be brief and to the point in presenting the application; give an outline of the purpose of the application, the expected benefits of the biological control programme, the identified risks and your consideration of these. Concentrate on the matters that have been highlighted in the EPA Staff Assessment Report
be familiar with points raised by submitters
treat submitters with respect and dignity, and address their points in a scientific but clear manner

Don't:

speak for more than 20 minutes in presenting the application (unless specified in the agenda)
allow your witnesses to speak for more than 15 minutes
use scientific jargon excessively and try to blind your audience with complex scientific explanations; keep language as simple as possible.
ridicule questioners who may appear 'naïve'; remember you know far more about all aspects of the biological control programme than anyone else in the room
lose your cool under pressure
try to answer a question if you really don't know the answer
try to mix with the EPA Authority members and staff and their witnesses, experts etc. during breaks – the hearing is a formal, semi-judicial process