Kiwi's fraud trial: Oz media excluded from court

Joel Morehu-Barlow is accused of fleecing more than $19 million from Queensland Health. Photo / Supplied

The media has been excluded from a preliminary courtroom grilling of the New Zealand man accused of fleecing more than $A16 million from Queensland Health.

Lawyers representing the State of Queensland and the Crime and Misconduct Commission will question Hohepa Morehu-Barlow in the Supreme Court in Brisbane today about his alleged fraudulent behaviour.

Barlow, also known as Joel Barlow, was arrested in December and is alleged to have defrauded the government department while working there between 2007 and 2011.

His charges include two counts of aggravated fraud, two of aggravated forgery, one of aggravated uttering, two of possessing dangerous drugs, one of possessing a relevant substance and one of possessing drug utensils.

The 36-year-old was committed earlier this year to stand trial in the District Court in Brisbane at a later date.

A lawyer for Queensland Newspapers made an application earlier this morning for members of the media to be present during the examination, which is expected to focus on further establishing how the allegedly misappropriated funds were spent.

However, Delma Osborne, for the State of Queensland, opposed the application, saying the law clearly stated the media and public should be excluded from preliminary examinations before a registrar.

"The examination process is a totally different process to normal open court, so for that reason the legislation has specifically provided that the examination must take place in closed court,'' Ms Osborne said.

Deputy Registrar Jane Guerin dismissed the media's application.

- AAP