Is there more than one charge?
Can anyone elaborate on why, “there was not enough time to discuss the matter at the hearing”?
A 'mention' is just that. No more and no less. It has it's roots in the obligation of the State to show the prisoner is in good shape , is alive, is capable of speech ( apparently, again, Stephenson agreed that he could hear the judge , this is ''speech'' ) it is the opportunity for the State to show it has tabled all the necessary paperwork with the defence,, and that the defence has , indeed, received all the necessary paperwork, in this case, a huge file of CCTV that, according to the defence is of a size 'unprecedented'.
It is, in other words, housekeeping, of a judicial nature. but mostly, it is to show the State is responsible for the accused, and that responsibility is being carried out satisfactorily.
These days, mostly, the prisoner is shown via ZOOM but that does not lift the burden from the State to show the prisoner is alive, awake , no bruises or broken bones, etc.
Apropos of 'housework'.. Lots of us have followed cases where the accused and his/her barristers requested a 'judge only' trial, at this point, just to remember, that Victoria has a different approach to this matter. In NSW , etc. it is no big deal, the trial then becomes a matter under a judge qualified in judge only trials, ( it requires a different skill base, and they are rostered on a different table, because of this ) ..
In Victoria, the matter has to go before a judge, to decide if it's a 'judge only' trial, the concept being if it's a matter in the public good to make it a judge only trial, or not. Mostly, in Victoria, it is considered in the public interest to have a judge and jury, and it's a rare , rare case that does not. Both sides of that coin have merit, this is not the place to argue the point on it, just to remind folks that' s how it is.
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