Suppression orders: Reskilling journalists and the judiciary

Journalists, media organisations and industry bodies have long complained about the number of suppression orders issued in Australia each year and the inconsistency of approaches across the nation's nine jurisdictions. State and federal governments have recently taken steps towards developing a national notification system for repression orders, which would at least improve communication to media organisations about the order. Yet important problems still remain for journalists trying to cover court cases, including the widely varied approaches of judicial officers, financial constraints on media organisations which have previously appealed such orders and the inexperience of journalists with the process of objecting to such orders in the court room. This article reviews the law and practice in the area and suggests a strategy of education for both journalists and the judiciary.