General Press Release No. 267 (July 2005)

Access to court transcripts

The Australian Press Council is deeply concerned by the decision of the Acting Principal Registrar of the Western Australia Supreme Court to refuse access to the transcripts of a trial sought by The Australian newspaper.

Courts are accountable and transparent through the conduct of proceedings in public. It is inconsistent with these principles for the transcripts to be withheld. The trial's proceedings in this case were not conducted in camera and it is hard to understand the justification for claiming confidentiality regarding the transcripts.

A recent complaint to the Press Council from an officer of the WA Supreme Court has demonstrated how the courts expect newspapers to report court proceedings accurately and fairly. It is imperative that the courts play their part and assist by providing newspapers with access to transcripts of open proceedings.

see also
Charter for a Free Press.

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