Health Insurance Act 1973

Subject to this section, all hearings of Committees shall be conducted in public.

Where a Committee is satisfied that it is desirable to do so because of the confidential nature of any evidence or matter or for any other reason, the Committee may, by order:

direct that a hearing or part of a hearing take place in private, and give directions as to the persons who may be present; and

give directions prohibiting or restricting the publication of evidence given at a hearing, whether in public or in private, or of matters contained in documents received in evidence or otherwise obtained by the Committee.

In considering whether to make an order under subsection (2), the Committee shall take as the basis of its consideration the principle that it is desirable that a hearing should be conducted in public and that evidence given at a hearing and the contents of documents received in evidence or otherwise obtained by a Committee should be made available to the public, but shall pay due regard to any reasons given to the Committee why such an order should be made.