Category: Suppression

Federal Court of Australia ... Nine newspapers loses bid to obtain 50 year suppression order over deed of settlement with witness ... Settlement reached with woman who had alleged she was physically assaulted during her affair with Ben Roberts-Smith ... Court questions utility of suppression orders when contents on internet ... Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more

NSW Supreme Court ... Suppression and non-publication orders made for sexual misconduct complainants ... Defamation proceedings brought by ice skater against NSW skating body ... Reports of sanction by US authority for sexual misconduct involving 17 year old ... Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more

Federal Court of Australia ... High profile law firm Giles George loses bid to prevent media access to exhibit containing costs agreement with client ... Suppression application denied ... Nothing "unique or surprising" or commercially sensitive in exhibit ... Media application to obtain access granted ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more

County Court of Victoria ... Elite sports instructor and aspiring teacher obtains pseudonym orders in defamation action ... Publication confined to small sporting community ... Fears risk of publicity from media reporting ... Court rules necessary for administration of justice ... Open justice not an absolute ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more

The current state of suppression and non-publication orders in Australia... The top five developments ... Standout contribution from the Wynnum Magistrates Court ... Overall trend sees a decrease in orders for 2024 ... Media in Victoria receiving advance notice of applications ... Solid open justice arguments found in the South Australian "sex-pest barrister" judgment ... Gina McWilliams reports ... more

Federal Court of Australia ... Seven Network granted suppression and non-publication orders over pleadings in Fair Work case ... Seven submitted public disclosure would jeopardise mediation ... Orders made to prevent prejudice to proper administration of justice ... Open justice understood in common law context ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more

Supreme Court of New South Wales ... Man convicted of rapes in the 1990s and subsequent assault and sexual offences loses bid to have name and identity subject of non-publication orders ... Fails on administration of justice, personal safety and public interest grounds ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more

Federal Court ... ABC loses fight over suppression orders sought by Commonwealth ...  Complaint to Human Rights Commission not available to public without leave ... Suppression warranted on national security grounds ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more

Outgoing Independent National Security Legislation Monitor calls for reform of national security information legislative regime ... Disquiet at secret trials and "overweening secrecy" ... Calls for greater discretion for courts to have open hearings ... Attorney-General would be required to justify secrecy ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more

Open justice ... WA Supreme Court turns down Rinehart applications for suppression and non-publications orders ... Seeking to protect integrity of arbitral process and contractual promises ... Dispute over Pilbara mining tenements ... Reputational harm and embarrassment ... Information already in the public domain ... Alan Zheng reports ... more