278General discretion to hold hearing in public or private

278  General discretion to hold hearing in public or private  (1) Subject to sections 279 and 280, ASIC may direct that a hearing take place in public or take place in private.  (2) In exercising its discretion under subsection (1), ASIC must have regard to:  (a) whether evidence that may be given, or a matter that may arise, during the hearing is of a confidential nature or relates to the commission, or to the alleged or suspected commission, of an offence against a law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory; and  (b) any unfair prejudice to a person’s reputation that would be likely to be caused if the hearing took place in public; and  (c) whether it is in the public interest that the hearing take place in public; and  (d) any other relevant matter.