Consolidated practice directions

Publication of audio-visual recordings of court proceedings 
 
6. 
The decision to stream or publish audio-video recordings of the whole 
or part of proceedings, and the manner in which publication shall occur, 
will be made by the judicial officer(s) constituting the court in the 
relevant proceedings. That decision may be made following a request 
by an interested person under par 12 of this practice direction or on the 
court's own initiative. 
7. 
The discretion to decide as to the appropriate use of the court's capacity 
should be exercised in the interests of justice and giving due weight to 
the open justice principle. The following factors may be relevant to the 
exercise of the discretion by the court or a judicial officer: 
(a) The need to ensure a fair trial, and particularly whether and to 
what extent prejudicial publicity could infringe any person's right 
to a fair trial; 
(b) The public interest in facilitating public knowledge of particular 
proceedings, accuracy of reporting on proceedings, and public 
understanding of the judicial system; 
(c) The level of demand by members of the public or persons with an 
interest in the proceedings for access to the proceedings via the 
internet; 
(d) Any potential adverse impact of electronic publication on the 
proceedings, including on witnesses, jurors, victims, accused 
persons, members of the public in the public gallery and any other 
participants in the proceedings; 
(e) The likelihood that information or material which is confidential or 
otherwise inappropriate to be published electronically as part of an 
audio-visual recording will be released during the proceedings; 
(f) 
The potential impact of electronic publication on national security 
and criminal investigations; 
(g) Whether an order for witnesses or other persons to remain out of 
court has been made or is likely to be made; 
(h) The views of the parties, victim(s) and vulnerable witnesses; 

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3. Recording or transmitting proceedings 
PD 3.4 
Supreme Court of Western Australia 
Consolidated Practice Direction
(i) 
The cultural views, beliefs and practices of participants in the 
proceedings which may make them uncomfortable with having 
images of a participant and/or audio recordings of anything said 
by a participant being published on the internet; 
(j) 
Any other matter the presiding judge or court considers relevant. 
8. 
Where the court is contemplating making an audio-visual record of 
proceedings available via the internet, it will ordinarily raise the issue 
with the parties to the proceedings and give them an opportunity to 
make submissions as to how the discretion should be exercised.