A.McD - assuming you mean Ashley McDermid - is the reporter for Channel 9.
The defence lawyer is Darren Mahoney.
And while Alioop is our verified legal brain, I suspect it's a case of the 45 being the "core" witnesses at the heart of the case, and the prosecution are only agreeing to 35 of those being cross-examined. Perhaps Alioop can tell us whether or not this cross-examination is before the trial - i.e. testing their statements in a closed session - or are they referring here to the trial itself? I'm not too clear on that point. Can't the defence cross-examine ALL witnesses that the prosecution present at the trial anyway? And vice versa?