Convicted murderer Sue Neill-Fraser can now talk to media, law centre says

Sue Neill-Fraser, convicted of murdering her partner Bob Chappell in 2009, can now speak with the media, according to the Human Rights Law Centre. She was initially restrained from doing so by a restrictive parole condition that was removed after a court challenge. Neill-Fraser served 13 years in prison before being released on parole in 2022.

In December 2024, the Tasmanian Parole Board imposed a new condition that prevented her from communicating directly or indirectly with any media about her alleged innocence or wrongful conviction, including through written statements, electronic communications, social media, television, radio, podcasts, video-sharing platforms, or any other public or broadcast media.

This condition was deemed unreasonable and a breach of her freedom of political communication by the Human Rights Law Centre, which challenged it in the Supreme Court of Tasmania last year. The Parole Board agreed to remove the condition, although it declined to confirm this to the media. The removal is seen as a significant victory for Neill-Fraser's right to free expression, as she has consistently maintained her innocence since the 2009 incident.