Queensland Numbered Acts

MERIBA OMASKER KAZIW KAZIPA (TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER TRADITIONAL CHILD REARING PRACTICE) ACT 2020 - SECT 97

97 Court hearings not public

(1) This section applies to the hearing in the court or the appellate court of a proceeding under this Act.

(2) The hearing for the proceeding is not open to the public.

(3) Despite section 20 of the Childrens Court Act 1992 , a court must exclude from the room in which the court is sitting a person who is not—

(a) a child to whom the proceedings relates: or

(b) an adult who is the subject of a cultural recognition order relevant to the proceeding; or

(c) an appellant; or

(d) a respondent; or

(e) if the proceeding relates to a child who is the subject of a cultural recognition order—

(i) the child’s birth parent; or

(ii) the child’s cultural parent; or

(iii) the child’s other carer; or

(f) the commissioner; or

(g) a lawyer of a party to the proceeding or of a person mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (e) (iii) ; or

(h) a witness giving evidence.

(4) However, the court may permit a person who is not mentioned in subsection (3) to be present during the hearing if the court is satisfied it is in the interests of justice to do so.