Media organisations angered by new Australian federal court restrictions on reporting of cases

Changes limiting access to key documents were made without consultation and only publicly revealed last week

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Senior journalists and editors from across the media industry have written to the federal court in dismay" at its decision to restrict access to crucial documents, saying the shift contradicts principle of open justice".

The federal court last month enacted new rules limiting access to documents for non-parties until a case's first directions hearing, a rule that would considerably delay media access to key information about proceedings.

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