By MARK PEARSON Follow @Journlaw
Our fifth edition of The Journalist’s Guide to Media Law (Allen & Unwin, 2014) goes to the printer this week for publication later this year.
Order through Booktopia at http://www.booktopia.com.au/the-journalist-s-guide-to-media-law-mark-pearson/prod9781743316382.html
Co-author Mark Polden and I have decided to move some of the comparative tables on reporting restrictions throughout Australia across to this blog – journlaw.com – so we could free up space in the new edition to discuss other important issues such as media law for public relations consultants and the implications of digital and social media.
We will work to update the reporting and publishing restrictions tables over coming months, but for the moment I am publishing them as they stood at the date of our fourth edition in 2011.
As I upload them over coming weeks I would appreciate any students or colleagues using the comments section below to advise of any updates in your jurisdictions and I will act to update the tables accordingly.
Looking forward to your collaborative input!
Sexual offences publication restrictions
| Jurisdiction | Law | Exception | Legislation |
| ACT | Complainant must not be identified by name, ‘reference or allusion’, including allowing someone to find out their ‘private, business or official address, email address or telephone number’.
|
Complainant may consent. (Seek legal advice on proving consent.) | Evidence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1999, s. 40. |
| New South Wales |
Complainant must not be identified, even after proceedings disposed of. | With permission of court. Consent of complainant aged over 14. (Seek legal advice.) With consent of court for complainants aged under 16.
|
Crimes Act 1900, s. 578A; Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987, s. 15A. |
| Northern Territory |
Complainant must not be identified at all. Accused cannot be identified until after committal. No mention of ‘name, address, school or place of employment’ for either.
|
With permission of court. | Sexual Offences (Evidence and Procedure) Act 1983, ss. 6, 7 and 11(2). |
| Queensland | Complainant must not be identified at all. Accused cannot be identified until after committal. No mention of ‘name, address, school or place of employment’ for either. | With permission of court.Protection for accused only applies to ‘prescribed sexual offences’: (a) rape; (b) attempt to commit rape; (c) assault with intent to commit rape; (d) an offence defined in the Criminal Code, section 352.1. Seek legal advice about other offences.
|
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1978, ss. 6 and 7. |
| South Australia | Case and related proceedings including identity of accused cannot be reported until accused has been committed for trial. Complainant must not be identified at any stage.Publishers must publish prominent report of result of proceedings they have covered at earlier stage when accused has been identified.
|
|
Evidence Act 1929, ss. 71A and B. |
| Tasmania | Complainant and witnesses other than defendant must not be identified, even if dead. Also bans ‘any picture purporting to be a picture of any of those persons’.
|
Court may allow identification ‘in the public interest’. | Evidence Act 2001, s. 194K. |
| Victoria | Complainant must not be identified, even if proceedings not pending. | If proceedings not pending, with permission of court or complainant (seek legal advice) or on proof that no complaint of offence had yet been made to police. If proceedings pending, with permission of court only.
|
Judicial Proceedings Reports Act 1958, s. 4. |
| Western Australia | Complainant and their school must not be identified. | With authorisation in writing by complainant aged over 18 and mentally capable of making decision. (Seek legal advice.)
|
Evidence Act 1906, s. 36c. |
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Disclaimer: While I write about media law and ethics, nothing here should be construed as legal advice. I am an academic, not a lawyer. My only advice is that you consult a lawyer before taking any legal risks.
© Mark Pearson 2014
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