The consumer council’s survey found that two-thirds of those questioned accurately defined the mediation process as “an independent person listening to both parties involved in a dispute and helping them come to an agreement”.
Eleven per cent misunderstood the concept and defined it as “an independent person listening to both parties involved in a dispute and then making a decision”.
Nine per cent incorrectly believed it was about “the parties discussing the problem by themselves and trying to come to an agreement”.
