‘Utterly disgraceful’: new federal court rules limiting access to documents criticised by media union

While the court says rules are designed to protect respondents from early reporting of allegations, MEAA president says decision goes against the concept of open court'

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New federal court rules barring media from accessing documents until the first directions hearing have been labelled utterly disgraceful" and a breach of the concept of open" justice.

Enacted in mid-December by federal court judges without consulting the media and published on the gazette Thursday, the rules appear designed to protect respondents against reporting of allegations at the earliest stages of a case.

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