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Review underway on state’s contempt of court laws
The state of Victoria will examine its contempt of court laws as part of a review which will consider whether they should be “modernised to enhance public confidence in the justice system and allow for clearer enforcement”.
Emma Musgrave
The review, commissioned by the Andrews Labor government, will examine a number of recommendations made by former Supreme Court Judge Frank Vincent following his review of the Open Courts Act 2013.
The government noted that it will will “also examine the Judicial Proceedings Reports Act 1958, which restricts reports on certain judicial proceedings, and consider whether it should be reformed to better align with the Open Courts Act”.
It will also assess whether existing penalties for breaching publication restrictions are adequate, and whether the level of fault required to prove these offences is appropriate, the statement explained.
“The commission will make recommendations about existing suppression orders made before the introduction of the Open Courts Act. The review is expected to be completed by the end of 2019,” it said.
Commenting further, Attorney-General Martin Pakula said the review is about making sure the laws relating to contempt of court and suppression orders are working effectively by protecting victims, but also the public’s right to know as well as court processes.
“This major review responds to key recommendations made by Justice Vincent following his review of the Open Courts Act, and will provide more clarity around contempt of court matters,” he said.
Emma Musgrave
Emma Musgrave (née Ryan) is the managing editor, professional services at Momentum Media.
Emma has worked for Momentum Media since 2015, including five years spent as the editor of the company's legal brand - Lawyers Weekly. Throughout her time at Momentum, she has been responsible for breaking some of the biggest stories in corporate Australia. In addition, she has produced exclusive multimedia and event content related to the company's respective brands and audiences.
Prior to joining Momentum Media, Emma worked in breakfast radio, delivering news to the Central West region of NSW, before taking on a radio journalist role at Southern Cross Austereo, based in Townsville, North Queensland.
She holds a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) degree from Charles Sturt University.
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