Victorian Current Acts

OPEN COURTS ACT 2013 - SECT 18

    (1)     A court or tribunal other than the Coroners Court may make a proceeding suppression order if satisfied as to one or more of the following grounds—

        (a)     the order is necessary to prevent a real and substantial risk of prejudice to the proper administration of justice that cannot be prevented by other reasonably available means;

Example

Another reasonably available means may be directions to the jury.

        (b)     the order is necessary to prevent prejudice to the interests of the Commonwealth or a State or Territory in relation to national or international security;

        (c)     the order is necessary to protect the safety of any person;

        (d)     the order is necessary to avoid causing undue distress or embarrassment to a complainant or witness in any criminal proceeding involving a sexual offence or a family violence offence;

        (e)     the order is necessary to avoid causing undue distress or embarrassment to a child who is a witness in any criminal proceeding;

        (f)     in the case of VCAT, the order is necessary—

              (i)     to avoid the publication of confidential information or information the subject of a certificate under section 53 or 54 of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998 ;

              (ii)     for any other reason in the interests of justice.

    (2)     The Coroners Court may make a proceeding suppression order in the case of an investigation or inquest into a death or fire if the coroner constituting the Coroners Court reasonably believes that an order is necessary because disclosure would—

        (a)     be likely to prejudice the fair trial of a person; or

        (b)     be contrary to the public interest.