Aboriginal justice advocate Wayne Muir will face a contested committal hearing in December for alleged historic sexual assault offences.
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His defence counsel appeared at the Online Magistrates' Court on Friday to book in the hearing date.
Muir, a former head of the University of Ballarat Aboriginal education unit, was charged with the alleged sexual misconduct offences in July 2019 and granted bail.
His committal hearing was originally scheduled for February 2020, but has been re-listed for a five-day hearing from December 7.
It will run on the Online Magistrates' Court and arrangements will be made to ensure witnesses are supported appropriately to give evidence via the web format.
Crown prosecutor Grant Hayward told the court his preference was to run the committal hearing in person when it can be done in April 2021, to allow for the usual supports to in place for witnesses.
Magistrate Noreen Toohey said given the charges were laid and the matter was first listed mid-2019, she would have thought all parties would have been keen to get the matter on.
"It seems to me it is fair to everyone and I am sure the witnesses in this matter want to get this on and over with," she said.
Defence barrister Glenn Casement said he did not want to see the case delayed any more.
"I think an effective committal hearing can be run online," he said.
"It has been delayed once already."
Committal hearings have not been running physically at Ballarat court since COVID-19 hit to reduce the number of people in the building.
A number of committal hearings have been heard online, including the high profile case of horse trainer Darren Weir last week.
Evidence against Muir will be tested throughout the hearing and the magistrate will determine whether it should go to trial in the County Court.
Muir was stood down from his position of chief executive of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service in February 2019 amid the sexual assault allegations.
His bail was extended and he will appear on the online court in December for the five-day hearing.
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