Australian Capital Territory Consolidated Acts Australian Capital Territory Consolidated Acts(1) The hearing of a proceeding before the Magistrates Court must be in public.
(2) However, if the magistrate presiding at a hearing is of the opinion that it is desirable in the public interest or in the interests of justice to do so, the magistrate may, by order—
(a) direct that the hearing or part of the hearing take place in private and give directions about the people who may be present; and
(b) give directions prohibiting or restricting the publication of evidence given at the hearing, whether in public or in private, or of matters contained in documents lodged with the court or received in evidence by the court for the purposes of the proceeding; and
(c) give directions prohibiting or restricting the disclosure to some or all of the parties to the proceeding of evidence given at the hearing, or of a matter contained in a document lodged with the court or received in evidence by the court for the purposes of the proceeding.
(3) A person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes an order under subsection (2) commits an offence.
Maximum penalty: 100 penalty units, imprisonment for 1 year or both.
(4) Subsection (1)—
(a) does not apply in relation to a civil matter that, under another territory law, may be dealt with otherwise than in open court; and
(b) is subject to any other territory law that restricts who may be present at a hearing.