Why it matters: The Federal Court has reduced open access to documents
Documents that were once accessible within an hour are taking up to a month
The court is inviting parties to suppress documents if the media or public want access
Media are asking the new chief justice to walk back the changes
The Federal Court of Australia is inviting parties who are engaged in legal action to apply to suppress access to court documents, under new rules that dramatically reduce the ability to obtain timely information.
One leading media lawyer said the new rules potentially compromised the public’s right to know what was happening in court, while the union that represents journalists said the rules compromised fair and accurate reporting of proceedings.
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Max Mason covers financial crime, courts and corporate wrongdoing. A Walkley Award winner, Max’s journalism has also received awards from the National Press Club of Australia, the Kennedy Awards and Citibank. Message Max on Signal https://tinyurl.com/MaxMason Connect with Max on Twitter. Email Max at max.mason@afr.com
