Commonwealth Numbered Acts

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA ACT 1976 No. 156 of 1976 - SECT 17

17. (1) Except where, as authorized by this section or another law of the
Commonwealth, the jurisdiction of the Court is exercised by a Judge sitting in
Chambers, the jurisdiction of the Court shall be exercised in open court.

(2) The jurisdiction of the Court may be exercised by a Judge sitting in
Chambers in-

   (a)  a proceeding on an application relating to the conduct of a
        proceeding;

   (b)  a proceeding on an application for orders or directions as to any
        matter which, by this Act or any other law of the Commonwealth, is
        made subject to the direction of a Judge sitting in Chambers; and

   (c)  a proceeding on any other application authorized by the Rules of Court
        to be made to a Judge sitting in Chambers.

(3) A Judge may order a proceeding in Chambers to be adjourned into court.

(4) The Court may order the exclusion of the public or of persons specified by
the Court from a sittting of the Court where the court is satisfied that the
presence of the public or of those persons, as the case may be, would be
contrary to the interests of justice.