NSW court information problematic, so too reform measures.

Over three years ago the NSW Government issued a discussion paper on proposed changes in the law regarding access to court information, and I for one had heard little since. So interesting to read in Court review shows nobody was listening by Susannah Moran in today's Legal Affairs in The Australian that a consultation draft Court Information Bill has been released for comment. According to Moran, Australia's Right to Know "is very disappointed with a bill which purports to further the principle of open justice but in fact will be more restrictive than previous practice in NSW and less liberal than in a number of other Australian jurisdictions." A search of the Legislation and Policy Branch of the Department of Justice and Attorney General's website turned up an Access to Court Information Paper dated 2008 but no sign there of the Consultation Draft Bill, or any update since. Update: it's here on Lawlink's Latest- thanks to an alert reader on 20 October.

The slow grinding wheels of justice, or at least policy reform......