A person cannot publish information about evidence given at a hearing, documents produced at a hearing, or any information likely to identify a party or other person who has appeared at a hearing unless the Tribunal has granted leave for that to occur. It is a criminal offence to publish such information without the Tribunal’s permission.
Section 43 of the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 1996 prohibits publication of evidence given or documents produced to the Tribunal and any information likely to identify a party or other person who has appeared at a hearing, except by order of the Tribunal made pursuant to section 43(1) of the Act. The penalties applicable in the event of a breach of the prohibition on publication are significant and include the imposition of a two year term of imprisonment on an individual. The Tribunal may override the prohibition upon the application of a party or on its own initiative, if it is in the public interest to do so (section 43(1) and (2)).
All applications for leave to publish information about a Tribunal application must be made to the Tribunal in writing.