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News from AustLII (13 May 1996)


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AustLII Press Release (13th May 1996)


Dear AustLII News Mailing List subscriber,

Just a quick note to accompany the distribution of our press release regarding the recent controversy surrounding the publication of Family Court of Australia decisions via AustLII.

We thank all of the supporters who have taken the time to write to us in the last twenty-four hours.

The best way in which to make a positive contribution to the debate in this area is to read the press release below and write Letters to the Editor.

The email address for the letters page of the Telegraph Mirror (the Sydney daily which is a sibling of the Sunday Telegraph which broke the "story" in NSW) is: DTMLETR@OZEMAIL.COM.AU

The email address for the letters page of the Sydney Morning Herald: letters@smh.com.au

Oh, and please send us a copy: feedback@austlii.edu.au

The press release speaks for itself ...

Regards
Geoff and Andrew


THE AUSTRALASIAN LEGAL INFORMATION INSTITUTE PRESS RELEASE

Monday 13th May 1996 http://www.austlii.edu.au/

The Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) is an internet based legal research facility which provides access to Australian legislation, case law and secondary materials. It is a free university operated service established in the public interest.

One of the databases contained on the system includes written judgments of the Family Court of Australia as selected by the Court. As is the case for a number of other courts, the Family Court judgments are provided to AustLII by the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department from its public database service Scale. The release of the judgments to AustLII for the purpose of publishing them on the internet has been authorised by the Court. Apart from being published on Scale and AustLII, all of the judgments have also been published for many years on the US based service Lexis and via other electronic and paper based information services.

Following an article which appeared in the Sunday Telegraph of 12 May, access to the Family Court decisions on AustLII has been suspended. This has been done to allow time for negotiations with the Attorney-General's Department and the Court to resolve the concerns raised in the Sunday Telegraph article.

Although AustLII will continue to offer the most comprehensive service possible, we are sensitive to the need to balance the public's right of access to the law with the individual's right to privacy. The Family Court is a particularly sensitive area.

We have been disappointed with the way that this matter has been handled by the media. At no time prior to the publication of the Sunday Telegraph article, were we contacted to alert us to any possible problem. AustLII is not a commercial operation. It exists by virtue of a tremendous amount of work for love, goodwill and cooperation.

Although again we stress our recognition of the seriousness of safeguarding personal privacy, we are concerned that the off handed approach of some sections of the media has done us, and the public interest generally, a great deal of harm. It would of have been much simpler and more responsible if the issue had been raised directly with us, the Court or the Attorney-General's Department.

Andrew Mowbray <andrew@austlii.edu.au> Co-Director - AustLII
Geoffrey King <geoff@austlii.edu.au> Manager - AustLII


Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII)

http://www.austlii.edu.au/

PO Box 123
Broadway NSW 2007
AUSTRALIA

Ph: (02) 281 2699
Fax: (02) 281 2127


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