The Challenge
Due to COVID-19, we were asked to run the hearings for The Royal
Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements (RCNDA) in a
hybrid/virtual format.
Initially, the RCNDA was to be conducted with in-person hearings
in Canberra and remotely around Australia. Due to the COVID-19
restrictions in the early phases, the project plan needed to change
quickly in order to be able to conduct hearings before the final
report was due. This meant we had to re-evaluate and redesign the
way we would deliver our Royal Commission eHearing services. We
needed to ensure the hearing related services would be operational
and deliverable during COVID-19 with its evolving requirements. The
hearing related services changed from 'in-person' to a
virtual and hybrid hearing room environment, utilising virtual
hearing services for witnesses and leave to appear parties.
