It would be very strange if it is true. However I am a bit doubtful that it is - notably absent is any mention of reporters asking the government to explain, or of actual wording of the act. One reason to wonder is the government response to changes....
"In response to the Commissions recommendations, the government will develop reforms to clarify and improve the law of contempt, so that what is prohibited through contempt laws is no broader than necessary, and so that the law of contempt does not lead to people being punished who have taken reasonable care to do the right thing. The serious consequences of a contempt conviction for individual journalists and media participants demands nothing less. The government also commits to modernising the Judicial Proceedings Reports Act 1958.
In particular, the government supports the rights of victims to tell their stories..............The Department of Justice and Community Safety will look at the Commissions recommendations on this issue as a priority, and if reforms are needed to ensure these laws are effective, amendments will be urgently introduced. As part of these reforms, government will consider changes to certain categories of contempt, including scandalising contempt, and
ensure that reforms to allow victims of sexual offences to tell their stories operate effectively. The government will also closely review the enforcement of suppression orders in the internet age and raise this with other jurisdictions as appropriate. These reforms will be developed in line with
the governments longstanding commitment to freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Such freedoms should, in our democracy, only be limited where there is a compelling justification, such as victim privacy and avoiding retraumatisation of those affected by crime, or the proper administration of justice".
The press reports and this response by government are so markedly at odds with each other, that I will wait for further clarification before assuming the press report is correct.
https://www.justice.vic.gov.au/just...form-commission-contempt-of-court-report-2020
Also, I can't find any report of a change of law occurring in February, simply a 2-year committee report on recommendations being given to parliament in February:
https://lawreform.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VLRC_Contempt_of_Court_report_forWeb.pdf
My suspicion is that it is a beat-up to sell papers, but time will tell.
:fistpump:
