11-Year-Old Charged with Murder in WA
An 11-year-old boy appeared in Perth Children’s Court last week facing a charge of murder. The desperately sad and shocking story of the boy’s life gives some insight into how he ended up one of the youngest children in Australia...
Time Limits to be Removed for Sexual Abuse Claims
The NSW Government has moved to scrap the statute of limitations for historical claims of sexual abuse. Under current legislation, complainants have three years to lodge civil claims against alleged abusers, or three years after turning 18 if they were...
Do AVOs Protect Domestic Violence Victims?
Last week, yet another woman died a violent death in Australia. Sharon Michelutti is the fourth woman recorded by Destroy the Joint in their Counting Dead Women 2016 project, which reports deaths resulting from violence against women. The count for...
Are There Too Many Offences in Australia?
Did you know it is a crime to damage a library book, or even be in possession of money that has been torn or scribbled on? Or that there is a specific provision making it a crime to splash mud...
Is the ANZAC Spirit Dead?
Australians and New Zealanders have traditionally shared a strong bond, dating back to the ANZAC days and beyond. There are currently around 200,000 New Zealanders living in Australia, many of whom have been here for decades. A large number of...
Violent cycles: Homelessness and Crime
Around 105,000 people are experiencing homelessness or housing stress in Australia - with Streetsmart estimating that 1 in 200 of us won’t have a home to go to tonight. The experience of homelessness has both long-term and wide-ranging consequences, often...
The Role of a Police Prosecutor
If you have never been charged with a criminal offence, going to court can be a stressful and intimidating experience. Many facing court for the first time are confused about who will be prosecuting them. The prosecutor will not be...
Police Accused of Excessive Force as Arrest Video Goes Viral
The Queensland Police Union (QPU) has defended a police officer who was filmed pushing a mother to the ground during the arrest of her son at their Brisbane home over the weekend. The QPU says the officer acted “entirely appropriately” despite...
Life Sentences Without Parole: A Violation of Human Rights?
In his research paper from this month’s Human Rights Law Review, Andrew Dyer, a Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of Sydney, argues that not having a statutory charter of rights means Australia has been left without...
Useful Tips for Those with a Loved-One in Custody
Having a loved one in prison can be distressing, but being able to visit them from time to time can make the ordeal a little easier to bear. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to navigate the prison bureacracy in order...
