Your VCAT hearing bundle has conflicting page references

The same page number points to different documents

A hypothetical Victorian contractor prepares for a VCAT building dispute hearing. Their notes refer to a variation on page 48, but the latest bundle has an invoice on that page. Resolve the mismatch before the hearing. A sound factual point can become difficult to follow when participants cannot identify the document being discussed from a shared reference.

Confirm the version in use

Find the current directions and ask the adviser which bundle and document arrangements apply. Identify the version supplied to the tribunal and other parties through the required process. Do not assume the newest file on your laptop is the operative version or that sending another attachment automatically replaces the earlier material for every purpose.

Organise for a clear explanation

Justice Connect's practical VCAT guidance recommends organising relevant documents and checking that the member and other parties have a document when it is discussed. Use that principle to test your references. This article does not prescribe VCAT's filing format or permission requirements; follow the current directions and obtain clarification where the required approach is unclear.

Source: Justice Connect: What to expect in a building dispute at VCAT

Test the references against the actual file

In the hypothetical example, check every document referred to in the contractor's speaking notes against the identified bundle. Include the document's date and description alongside its page reference. Keep the original documents intact. Do not alter a source document to make it look consistent with an inaccurate summary or remove an inconvenient attachment.

Deal with missing material through the proper process

If a necessary document is absent, tell the adviser promptly and ask how it should be handled. Do not silently insert it into your own copy and assume everybody else has it. Keep a record of what was provided and when, and seek advice about any new material, confidentiality concerns or required application.

Practise locating the central documents

Run through the main disputed points using the actual file and corrected references. CRP can help organise the commercial records for the adviser. The practical aim is a presentation that allows each person to find the same evidence quickly, while leaving questions about admissibility and procedure to the applicable directions and advice.