‘Utterly disgraceful’: new federal court rules limiting access to documents criticised by media union

A federal court spokesperson said the rules were designed to manage release of ‘potentially sensitive or confidential content’. Photograph: Tim Dornin/AAP

New federal court rules barring media from accessing documents until the first directions hearing have been labelled “utterly disgraceful” and a breach of the concept of “open” justice.

Enacted in mid-December by federal court judges without consulting the media and published on the gazette Thursday, the rules appear designed to protect respondents against reporting of allegations at the earliest stages of a case.