If the chairperson or a member of the Tribunal cannot do their job due to illness or other reasons, the Governor-General can appoint someone else to act in their place. You need to know that this person must be suitable for the job and eligible for the position. The acting chairperson or member has the same powers as the real chairperson or member while they are acting in the position. If someone is appointed to act in a position, you cannot question their actions in court just because the reason for their appointment is no longer valid. The Governor-General makes this appointment based on a recommendation from the Minister. This is how the law works for the Tribunal. The law says that the acting chairperson or member must be treated like the real chairperson or member. The Tribunal is a part of the legal aid system, which is outlined in the Legal Services Act 2011. The rules for appointing an acting chairperson or member were updated by the Tribunals Powers and Procedures Legislation Act 2018, which you can read more about on the New Zealand legislation website https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM7374389.