New South Wales Attorney General praises use of social media in court reporting
Following the conviction yesterday of Simon Gittany for the murder of his girlfriend, New South Wales Attorney General Greg Smith issued an unprecedented statement praising the media for its collective use of social media during the court proceedings.
NSW Attorney General Greg Smith
The release, headed: “Positive role for social media at court” came after Judge Justice Lucy McCallum spent over four and a half hours reading out her verdict whilst the massed ranks of the media awaited the news.
Gittany was found guilty of the murder of Lisa Harnum by pitching her from a 15th floor balcony in a case that has gripped Australia.
“The enormous community interest in the verdict in a Supreme Court case in Sydney today has shown the positive side of social media,” Smith said.
“Twitter provided an opportunity for people to be informed not just about a very tragic case which clearly captured the public imagination, but also about the justice process more broadly.
“Tweets have highlighted the thorough reasoning required from a judge and complimented the meticulous and considered fashion in which the decision was outlined.
“This case, and its coverage in social and traditional media, offers the community a chance to engage with the court system and improve their understanding.”
In the UK, the use of social media in court settings has been trialled cautiously. In September last year the Scottish Parliament held an evidential hearing to gather information on the use of social media in court reporting.
“We are often ready to criticise social media when they get it wrong in reporting on criminal matters, but from what I have seen today seems to have been a good example of broadly respectful and responsible reporting which helped educate the public,” Smith said.
“There clearly is a role for all media to report accurately and fully, in a way that helps increase the public confidence in the justice system.”
The statement represents a significant reversal for Smith. In January, he introduced an amendment to the Court Security Act which prevented the use of social media in courts. Twitter use is permitted in court in some states, including South Australia.