Bondi Beach gunman Naveed Akram has sought suppression and non-publication orders on the identities of his mother and siblings over concerns about their safety.
The 24-year-old faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and one of committing a terrorist attack, over the shooting in December.
The accused is in custody but did not appear on-screen when the matter was mentioned in a Sydney court on Monday, where public defender Richard Wilson made the application on his client’s behalf.
Magistrate Greg Grogin suggested that the accused’s mother’s name had already been widely published and asked: “Hasn’t the horse already bolted on that?”
Fifteen people were killed and dozens more were injured in the December 14 shooting. (ABC News: Monish Nand)
But Mr Wilson said there was going to be “ongoing interest” in the family, and he would be presenting evidence of “things that have already happened” to illustrate very real concerns for the family’s safety.
A lawyer for News Corp Australia, who was present in the courtroom, said his client would likely oppose the application to suppress their names, residential address and workplaces, saying there was a “very high threshold” for non-publication orders to be granted on safety grounds.
Magistrate Grogin granted interim non-publication orders, telling the court: “It would appear at first sight there is absolutely no reason why the relatives of the accused, Naveed Akram, should have their lives put in the arena, both in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia or as it now is in fact, the world.”
He also noted that any such orders could not prevent international media from publishing the names.
The matter will be heard again in court next week.
Naveed Akram’s mother has previously spoken briefly to members of the media.
Naveed Akram’s father, Sajid Akram, was killed by police during the shooting at Bondi on December 14, which took place during a Jewish event, Chanukah by the Sea, in Archer Park.
Fifteen innocent people were killed and dozens more were injured.