Machine Shorthand Reporter
A machine shorthand reporter uses stenotype machines to produce real-time written records of spoken proceedings in Australian courts, tribunals, and other formal hearings. They transcribe testimony, judgments, and submissions with high accuracy, working under tight time pressures to ensure verbatim records that serve as official legal documentation.
What this job is
A machine shorthand reporter uses stenotype machines to produce real-time written records of spoken proceedings in Australian courts, tribunals, and other formal hearings. They transcribe testimony, judgments, and submissions with high accuracy, working under tight time pressures to ensure verbatim records that serve as official legal documentation. The role requires mastery of stenographic theory and specialised equipment to capture speech at speaking pace and produce transcripts that meet the standards of the Australian legal system.
Are employers advertising this role?
Falling, down 56.9% over 5 years
Counted across a group of similar roles. These are three-month rolling averages of online job advertisements, not filled positions.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index.
Day-to-day
Operate a stenotype machine to record witness testimony, judicial rulings, and legal arguments during court proceedings and tribunal hearings in real time. Transcribe stenotype notes into formatted written text using computer-aided transcription (CAT) software to produce court transcripts. Create and maintain personalised dictionaries and steno briefs within CAT software to improve speed and accuracy for legal terminology, proper names, and technical jargon specific to cases. Produce rough drafts and certified final transcripts that comply with the formatting and accuracy standards required by Australian courts and legal bodies. Provide real-time translation services during proceedings by displaying live captions on screens for participants including judges, counsel, and witnesses. Manage dictionary backups, software updates, and stenotype machine maintenance to ensure equipment reliability during proceedings. Proofread transcripts against audio recordings and notes to verify accuracy, correct homonyms, and flag unclear passages for clarification with counsel or the judge. Adhere to confidentiality and ethical protocols governing the handling of sensitive legal information and restricted court proceedings.
Who does this now
About 1,400 people worked in this occupation across Australia at the 2021 Census.
Is it steady
One of the more exposed AU clerical roles. OCR and document AI have cut task volumes in many teams since 2024.
What this role asks for
Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4)
Can employers fill these jobs
Employers hiring for this occupation were generally able to find suitable applicants in 2025. This measures how hard employers found it to fill jobs. It is not a count of jobs, and it does not say whether the occupation is growing.
Requirements
The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.
The honest hard part
The learning curve is brutal. You'll need 18 to 24 months of intensive training to reach court-speed accuracy on the stenotype machine, and most career changers struggle with the hand-eye coordination required. The work is also physically demanding and repetitive strain injuries are common.
Where the jobs are
State and Federal courts are the main employers. Practically speaking, regional and rural courts have fewer positions and often rely on travelling reporters from cities. Remote work isn't an option.
Pay
Published for ANZSCO unit group 5321, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.
This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.
Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
Skills
- Active Listeningcore
- Adapt to type of mediacore
- Adhere to organisational code of ethicscore
- Attention to Detailcore
- Confidentiality and Privacy Compliancecore
- Data Entry and Accuracycore
- Dictation and Transcriptioncore
- Electronic Document Managementcore
- Legal Terminologycore
- Multitaskingcore
- Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
- Record Managementcore
- Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
- Time Management and Prioritisationcore
- Written Communicationcore
- Continuous Learning and Upskilling
- Court Filing and Deadline Management
- Digital Literacy
- Health Terminology Literacy
- Process Documentation
- Professional Boundaries Maintenance
- Workload Self-Management
Which of these do you have?
Tick the ones you haveCommon questions
Sources
- ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
- ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
- ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.
Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
Want a hand with what comes next? The 12-week Sprint covers your resume, LinkedIn and interview practice, with up to three coach reviews of a targeted resume or an application from an Australian career coach, for A$299 paid once. Before you decide anything, you can read who we are or send us a question.