In the wake of the courts’ greater willingness to grant suppression and non-publication orders, the NSW Court of Appeal has come down strongly in support of open justice. Richard Ackland casts his eye over the legal landscape, and the judgment … more
Category: Media Matters
Leveson Inquiry – “Who guards the guardians?”
The Leveson Inquiry into News International and the phone hacking scandal is underway in London. This report, from media law blog Inforrm, summarises two key opening statements which have set the tone … more
Print media inquiry submissions – Part 1
Former Federal Court Judge Ray Finkelstein’s inquiry into Australia’s print media is hearing an embarrassment of submissions. From “private individual” Pat Burrows to the Australian Press Council, Tom Westbrook takes a look at who’s saying what … more
Print media inquiry submissions – Part 2
Independent inquiry into media and media regulation – Issues Paper
The Australian government has released an Issues Paper in relation to its planned inquiry into the media … It will embrace freedom of the press, the freedom of those “attacked” to respond, standards for media outlets and journalists, regulation and complaints mechanisms … more
Media’s own goal as privacy law looms
The scandal engulfing News International, British politics and Scotland Yard also has leeched into the wide brown land … Inquiries abound … Government seizes the opportunity to float a privacy law…Richard Ackland reports … more
Publish and be sued?
A very Sydney story: the politician, his son, the judge, the silk, a gay sauna, Compass with Geraldine Doogue and hotel pokie licences … Seven savvy media lawyers point out the pitfalls of publication … more
California’s new anti-paparazzi laws
Only in California … Now those who commission photographs of celebrities as well as the paparazzi themselves will be liable for hefty invasion of privacy penalties, thanks to The Terminator … Michael Cameron reports … more
UK libel reform – a matter of opinion
The United Kingdom recently released details of its draft libel reform bill and it seems not everyone is enthusiastic … Tom Westbrook canvasses the proposed changes and the reactions to them … more
Hicks and the proceeds of crime – can it stick?
Liberal Senator Brandis still carrying on about David Hicks … The shadow AG’s big policy gesture: confiscate the proceeds of Hicks’ book … But is this possible? … Richard Ackland investigates … more
Legislation round up
Whatever happened to the protection of journalists’ sources legislation, whistleblower protection laws, the new regime for access to court information and the national roll out of suppression and non-publication orders legislation? Media lawyer Leanne O’Donnell reports … more
All a twitter
Everybody’s talking about it…and the normal rules don’t seem to apply. Richard Ackland reviews the wild week that was all about The Australian’s editor-in-chief Chris Mitchell threatening to sue journalism academic Julie Posetti over a tweet … more