Inserted section 288H – Participation through live television link
280.Subsection (1) requires a detained person to participate in a “specified hearing” (defined by inserted section 288L) by means of live TV link where the court has determined that the hearing should proceed in that manner. Before so determining, subsection (2) requires the court to give the parties an opportunity to make representations on the use of the TV link in the hearing. The court can only allow the hearing to proceed by TV link if satisfied that it is not contrary to the interests of justice to do so.
281.Subsection (3) gives the court the power to require a detained person to appear by TV link from the place where the person is in custody for the sole purpose of considering whether to make a determination on the use of TV links in the specified hearing itself.
282.Where a detained person participates in a hearing by means of a TV link, the effect of subsection (4) is that the place of detention is deemed part of the court room, so that the hearing is deemed to take place in the presence of the detained person.
