A Supreme Court judge has been asked to overturn a suppression order masking the identity of a high-profile Queensland man named in an extortion case. Lawyers for four media outlets, including the ABC, have sought a judicial review of the order, which was made in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday.
The order suppresses the identities of all parties involved, including the high-profile man, who is neither a witness nor a direct target of the extortion. Acting Magistrate Gelma Meoli made the non-publication order at the request of Queensland Police Service prosecutors, who also sought to prohibit publication of details of the alleged threat.
The application to lift the suppression order went before Justice James Henry on Wednesday in a closed court. The judicial review has been adjourned to July 31 at the Supreme Court in Cairns, where the hearing is due to begin in a closed court, with parties to make submissions on whether it should remain closed.
In making the order, Magistrate Meoli acknowledged the married man has a high public profile but said the order was not made due to that profile or potential reputational harm. She stated that suppressing his name was necessary to protect the complainant from the threat being carried out publicly.
The man accused of extortion is next due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on July 28.
