Elise Archer,Attorney-General
Submissions have now closed in response to the Discussion Paper into Section 194K of the Evidence Act 2001.
Section 194K of the Evidence Act 2001 currently prohibits the identification of complainants in sexual offence proceedings, including when the person is an adult at the time of publication and consents to being identified, without a court order.
It takes immense courage for survivors to speak about their experience and I thank everyone who has made a submission, and the Government will now review submissions before proceeding with potential reforms to the law.
The Department of Justice received 54 submissions on the Discussion Paper. Submissions were received from a range of bodies including the legal sector, community organisations, media organisations, the education sector and private individuals.
This is a complex area of law that must strike the right balance, which is why we have consulted with the broader community to inform potential future reform.
Any proposed amendments to the Act will be subject to a consultation period before they are introduced.
