OPEN COURTS ACT REVIEW The Hon. Frank Vincent AO QC September 2017 The consultations and submissions process of the Open Courts Act Review was confidential. The final report has been revised to the limited extent necessary to publish contributors’ views with their consent. Minor amendments were also made to clarify expression without making any material changes. Review of the Open Courts Act 2013 Table of Contents Review of the Open Courts Act 2013 .............................................................................................. 1 1 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. 4 2 Summary of Recommendations ............................................................................................... 9 2.1 Presumption or principle? ................................................................................................. 9 2.2 A broader context ............................................................................................................. 9 2.2.1 Harmonising related areas of the law ......................................................................... 9 2.2.2 Unifying the law across jurisdictions ........................................................................... 9 2.3 Reforming the Open Courts Act ........................................................................................ 9 2.3.1 The duty to give reasons ............................................................................................ 9 2.3.2 Notice and the opportunity to challenge ................................................................... 10 2.3.3 Distinction between proceeding and broad orders ................................................... 10 2.4 Participants in the process .............................................................................................. 10 2.4.1 The courts ................................................................................................................ 10 2.4.2 Media organisations and legal practitioners ............................................................ 10 2.4.3 Offenders ................................................................................................................. 10 2.4.4 Victims ..................................................................................................................... 11 2.4.5 The Public Interest Monitor ...................................................................................... 11 3 Terms of Reference ............................................................................................................... 12 3.1 Amended Terms of Reference ........................................................................................ 12 3.1.1 Other Acts ................................................................................................................ 12 3.2 Reasons for amendment of Terms of Reference ............................................................. 13 4 The Task ................................................................................................................................ 14 5 Methodology of Review .......................................................................................................... 20 6 Importance of Open Justice ................................................................................................... 23 6.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 23 6.2 The broad rationale for open justice ................................................................................ 24 6.3 Open justice and the criminal law.................................................................................... 27 6.4 Open justice as a democratic ideal ................................................................................. 28 7 Balancing Open Justice against Other Considerations ........................................................... 30 7.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 30 7.2 The rationale for exceptions to open justice at common law ........................................... 30 7.3 Main exceptions to open justice ...................................................................................... 32 8 Victorian Law ......................................................................................................................... 37 8.1 Open Courts Act 2013 .................................................................................................... 37 8.1.1 Law prior to the Act .................................................................................................. 37 8.1.2 Background to the Act’s passage ............................................................................. 38 8.1.3 The legislative framework of the Open Courts Act ................................................... 38 8.2 Serious Sex Offenders (Detention and Supervision) Act 2009 ........................................ 45 8.3 Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 ........................................................................... 46 9 Open Justice in Other Jurisdictions ........................................................................................ 47 9.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 47 9.2 New South Wales ........................................................................................................... 47 9.2.1 General overview ..................................................................................................... 47 9.2.2 Interim orders .......................................................................................................... 49 9.2.3 Preservation of inherent jurisdiction ......................................................................... 49 9.2.4 Other statutory provisions relating to suppression of information ............................. 50 9.2.5 Number of orders made ........................................................................................... 50 9.3 Queensland .................................................................................................................... 50 9.3.1 General overview ..................................................................................................... 50 9.3.2 Statutory restrictions ................................................................................................ 51 9.3.3 Number of orders made ........................................................................................... 51 1 9.4 Western Australia ........................................................................................................... 51 9.4.1 General overview ..................................................................................................... 51 9.4.2 Other statutory provisions ........................................................................................ 52 9.4.3 Number of orders made ........................................................................................... 52 9.5 South Australia ............................................................................................................... 53 9.5.1 General overview ..................................................................................................... 53 9.5.2 Interim orders .......................................................................................................... 54 9.5.3 Other statutory provisions ........................................................................................ 55 9.5.4 Number of orders made ........................................................................................... 55 9.6 Tasmania ........................................................................................................................ 55 9.6.1 General overview ..................................................................................................... 55 9.6.2 Other statutory provisions ........................................................................................ 56 9.6.3 Number of orders made ........................................................................................... 56 9.7 Northern Territory ........................................................................................................... 56 9.7.1 General overview ..................................................................................................... 56 9.7.2 Other statutory provisions ........................................................................................ 57 9.7.3 Number of orders made ........................................................................................... 57 9.8 Australian Capital Territory.............................................................................................. 57 9.8.1 General overview ..................................................................................................... 57 9.8.2 Other statutory provisions ........................................................................................ 58 9.8.3 Number of orders made ........................................................................................... 58 9.9 The Commonwealth .......................................................................................................