By Sonia Hickey and Ugur Nedim A Sydney woman has been convicted of self-administering a drug in an attempt to terminate her 28 week pregnancy. Cue outrage – and let the chant of ‘her body, her choice’ ring loud and clear. But the important thing to remember is that abortion remains a crime in NSW ...
Blog Articles
Former Police Support Harm Reduction: An Interview with LEAHN’s Greg Denham
The 2017 National Drug Strategy was released last month. It provides a framework for preventing and reducing the harms associated with substance use. Since its first iteration in 1985, harm minimisation has formed the basis of Australia’s official policy. Harm minimisation is an approach to drug use that acknowledges a portion of the community will use drugs, ...
Judges Behaving Badly: Poor Judicial Temperament
‘Judicial temperament’ describes a judge or magistrate’s emotional responses within the courtroom and general attitude towards those within it, as well as to the law and legal process. A judicial officer with an good temperament is fair, patient, calm, unbiased, and treats lawyers, prosecutors, defendants, witnesses and courtroom staff with courtesy and respect. One with a poor ...
Hanson’s Burqa Stunt – Justified or Offensive?
If you haven’t caught the story, Senator Hanson wore a full Burqa to question time in the Senate this week, calling for a ban on the Islamic dress. It’s not the first time Hanson has had ‘Banning the Burqa ’on the agenda at question time, and the Federal Government has routinely rejected her calls. Hanson ...
Nimbin Locals Imprisoned for Selling Cannabis
By Paul Gregoire and Ugur Nedim Jurisdictions around the world are legalising cannabis. One in five US citizens now lives in a state where the recreational use of the plant is permitted. Uruguay changed its laws to allow marijuana use nationwide back in 2013. And Canada is set to legalise it by July next year. ...
False Domestic Violence Complaints Ruin Lives
By Sonia Hickey and Ugur Nedim Domestic violence has reached epidemic levels in Australia. The figures show that on average, one person is killed every week at the hands of their current or former partner. Shelters, crisis services, and frontline community legal centres are stretched to the limit. The Prime Minister has called the problem ...
MDT Set to Target Cocaine Users
The Australian federal government has been testing the nation’s sewage again in its continued effort to combat organised crime. The National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program tests for levels of thirteen illicit and licit substances present in wastewater at treatment plants around the country. The program’s second annual report outlines that more cocaine continues to be used ...
NSW Premier Broadens Police Powers to Remove the Homeless
After nearly eight months of operation, Sydney’s 24-7 Street Kitchen and Safe Space was dismantled last Friday. The community of around 60 rough sleepers currently residing there left the camp, which was situated out the front of the Reserve Bank in Martin Place. The homeless community made the decision to leave the pedestrian mall, after ...
Is Trump Tweeting Us Into War with North Korea?
By Paul Gregoire and Ugur Nedim It seems that in the age of Trump, tweeting threats of war has become part and parcel of US foreign diplomacy. On Friday, the US president wrote on the social media platform that “Military solutions are now in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely.” The 140 ...
Man Charged with Making False Emergency Calls
By Zeb Holmes and Ugur Nedim A Canberra man charged with making a series of allegedly false complaints to emergency services has pleaded not guilty, contending that it is “not a crime” to call triple-0. The allegations 61-year old Henryk Jozwik allegedly called emergency services a number of times on a singly night claiming to ...