Defendant Appeals after Pleading Guilty Due to Incorrect Legal Advice
On the afternoon of 26 May 2015, Brett Ritchie was pulled over by police as he was driving down the Oxley Highway near Wauchope. The officers then arrested him due to outstanding warrants. Whilst standing next to the car, Mr...
Turnbull’s Foreign Donations Laws: Suppressing Anti-Government Sentiment
Political donations by foreigners will be banned and overseas government lobbyists will be required to declare their interests under new laws proposed by the Turnbull government. The legislation will be introduced amid concerns regarding the influence of Chinese government agents...
Prohibition is a Recipe for Failure
On 2 June 2011, the Global Commission on Drug Policy declared that the “war on drugs has failed”. The declaration marked a significant shift in public attitude towards the 40-year-old policy launched by US president Richard Nixon that saw the intensification...
Scott Johnson’s Death Finally Determined a Gay Hate Crime
The third coronial inquiry into the death of Scott Johnson reported last Thursday that the 27-year-old US mathematician died as a result of a gay hate crime in December 1988. The conclusion has put to rest years of speculation that the earlier finding...
How Do I Find the Right Lawyer in NSW?
There comes a time when most of us will need a lawyer, whether to buy or sell property, recover a debt, or something that can be even more stressful such as a family or criminal law issue. So it’s good...
Fraud Charges Dropped Against Woman Who Overdrew $4.6 Million
Fraud charges against a former Sydney University student who spent $4.6 million dollars after a Westpac banking error have been dropped. Christine Lee was charged with ‘dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception’ and ‘knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime’...
Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVOs) Are Now Enforceable Nationwide
As of 25 November 2017, ‘Persons in Need of Protection’ (PINOPs) – or complainants – who are the subject of domestic violence orders (DVOs) in any Australian state or territory are automatically protected nationwide. The National Domestic Violence Order Scheme...
Woman Imprisoned for Consuming Soft Drink in Store
An Indigenous woman has been sentenced to 3 months in prison for consuming a soft drink inside a rural grocery store. It’s just one example of the harsh and unfair punishments which are regularly handed-down to Indigenous Australians, contributing to...
NT to Deploy Anti-Terrorist Police to Deal with Young People
Last Friday, Northern Territory police announced it will be deploying the Territory Response Group (TRG) to patrol Darwin and Alice Springs over the Christmas period. The group is part of the Australian government’s National Counter Terrorism Task Force. The operation...
Prison Sentences Can Now Be Extended for Possible Future Crimes
On November 22, the Berejiklian government passed one of the most draconian pieces of legislation the western world has ever seen. The laws enable authorities to further penalise inmates for crimes they haven’t committed or even planned, but rather, for...
