Calls to overhaul Victoria’s suppression laws
While pressure is mounting on the Morrison Government to enshrine adequate protections for whistleblowers, the Andrews Government is also facing calls to overhaul suppression laws in the state’s justice system.
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Victoria is the nation’s secret state — with court suppression orders being imposed at almost three times the rate of NSW.
While pressure is mounting on the Morrison Government to enshrine adequate protections for whistleblowers and prevent journalists being jailed for reporting matters of public interest, the Andrews Government is also facing calls to overhaul suppression laws in the state’s justice system.
Since 2017, Victorian courts have issued 1204 orders gagging the media from reporting on cases or evidence, compared with NSW courts issuing 490 orders.
The Herald Sun fought a five-year campaign — all the way to the High Court — against Victoria Police, which sought dozens of suppression orders and injunctions preventing this newspaper revealing the truth behind the Lawyer X scandal.
Finally, in March, after police command had spent more than $4.52 million to keep its secret informant’s identity hidden, the Herald Sun was able to reveal barrister Nicola Gobbo had informed on a string of underworld clients.
One of them, Faruk Orman, who had already served 12 years of a 20-year sentence for the 2002 murder of underworld figure Victor Peirce, walked free in July as a result of Gobbo’s dual-role as both Orman’s former lawyer and a secret police informer.
Orman’s appeal lawyer, Ruth Parker, told the Herald Sun the media was essential in uncovering the injustice.
“The Lawyer X scandal shows how determined and thorough investigative journalism can change lives and laws,” Ms Parker said.
Without the Herald Sun’s reporting, it’s likely Orman would still be in jail.
Ms Parker said: “Faruk received a letter from the DPP (advising of a potentially tainted conviction) because of the High Court litigation, of which the media were a huge part.”
But Ms Parker said police continued to refuse to co-operate and documents were furnished only after she called in to Jon Faine’s ABC radio program.
“We continued to pressure the police, a public organisation and an arm of the state, but it was only through media pressure that Faruk’s matter gathered momentum and ultimately lead to his acquittal and release.
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“When you look at an organisation like Victoria Police, they fought for years and spent millions of dollars of our money to try and stop their misconduct and corruption from coming out. This goes to prove that we can only prevent misconduct and corruption through free, responsible and thorough investigative journalism.
“This ultimately must include the protection of whistleblowers and the journalists who pursue the information provided by them.”
You can tell the federal government to stop the secrecy by going to yourrighttoknow.com.au or join the social media conversation at #RightToKnow or contact your local MP and voice your concerns.