The Australian Embassy in Vietnam has issued a statement on the suppression orders issued by the Supreme Court of Victoria concerning the Australian-style polymer note printing case.

The Embassy stressed that the suppression orders in question were not released by the Supreme Court of Victoria.

It also noted that Australia takes the breach of the suppression orders extremely seriously and the matter has been referred to the police.

According to the statement, the suppression orders were issued by the Supreme Court of Victoria on the application of the Australian Government. The Australian Government obtained suppression orders to prevent publication of information that could suggest the involvement in corruption by specific senior political figures in the region.

The statement said the Australian Government considers that the suppression orders remain the best means for protecting the senior political figures from the risk of unwarranted innuendo.

It added that the naming of such figures in the orders does not imply wrongdoing on their part.

“The Government stresses that the named figures are not the subject of the Securency proceedings”, the statement said.

VNA/VNN