Related Course/s:

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Arts (Journalism)

Aims & Objectives:

To give students the skills and understandings necessary to fulfil the fundamental journalistic task of reporting the key forums of civil society.

• Capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas
• Entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development within their business, workplace or community
• Effective and ethical in work and community situations
• Adaptable and able to manage change

Teaching Methods:

Lectures (2 hours). Tutorials (1 hour), and independent study

Assessment:

• Court report (20%)
• Local Government News report (20%)
• Parliamentary News Report (20%)
• Report from public records (20%)
• Short essay on the history and future of reporting public forums (20%)

Content:

The unit will cover the journalistic use and legal issues surrounding public documents arising from a range of public forums such as Parliaments, the courts and local government meetings. The documents examined will include Hansard, court files and transcripts, charge sheets, registers of pecuniary interest and documents available under the provisions of local government acts. The unit will also examine the practical effects of laws pertaining to Contempt of Court, Contempt of Parliament, and the privilege pertaining to public documents and public forums under the defamation Act 2001. The place of public forums in civil society will be examined, including the history of the role of the parliamentary and court reporter and its impact on notions of the public sphere, and the impact on this of developments in social media, particularly the use of Twitter for court and parliamentary reporting.

Reading Materials:

A course reader will be compiled with required readings for each week of the unit.

References: