Dying With Dignity Laws on the Horizon
Terminally ill Victorians will have the right to take their own lives from 2019 onwards if end-of-life legislation passes through the upper house. Following a four day debate in the Legislative Assembly, a landmark assisted dying bill was approved on...
The High Cost of NSW Sniffer Dog Operations
Recently released figures show taxpayers are forking out exorbitant amounts to fund the use of sniffer dogs at music festivals. And despite the evidence police searches increase dangerous drug use at these events, festivalgoers are now the main focus of...
15-Year Old Guilty of Producing Child Abuse Material
Technology abuse on the rise: One in ten Aussies report having nude or intimate images posted online without their consent With intrusions on privacy growing with the spread of smartphones and social media, the law has tried to evolve to...
Disqualification Periods Slashed in NSW
On 28 October 2017, new laws came into effect reducing disqualification periods for driving without a valid licence, and abolishing the habitual offender scheme. New disqualification periods The new penalties can be summarised as follows: Offence Penalty where it’s your...
Disqualified Drivers Can Now Apply to Get Their Licences Back
The Road Transport Amendment (Driver Licence Disqualification) Act came into effect on 28 October 2017, allowing certain disqualified drivers in NSW to apply to the local court for the removal of their disqualification periods. Who can apply? If you are...
Man Faces Prison for Allegedly Head-Butting Tony Abbott
The man accused of head-butting Tony Abbott during his trip to Tasmania last month has had his charge upgraded. Hobart DJ Astro Labe was originally charged with common assault, but the charge against him has now been upgraded to ‘causing...
Queensland to Finally Expunge Homosexuality Convictions
Queensland has passed laws which allow people who were convicted of homosexuality offences to have those entries deleted. Homosexual intercourse was a crime in Queensland until 1991. Anyone can now apply to have records of eligible offences charged or convicted...
Government Refuses to Pay Victims of Police Brutality
The Western Australian government has been criticised for appealing a District Court decision to award $1.1 million in damages to a couple who were illegally Tasered, wrongfully arrested, unlawfully detained and maliciously prosecuted by police after they stopped to help...
Brandis Rebukes Dutton Over “Un-Australian” Lawyers Remarks
Back in August, Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton caused a furore when he accused lawyers who represent asylum seekers on a pro bono basis of being “un-Australian.” The backlash from inside and beyond the legal profession was widespread. Now, it seems Australia’s...
WA Government Defensive Over DNA Fiasco
An inquiry into government pathology service, PathWest, has found 11 anomalies in the forensic testing of samples relating to six of the 19 criminal cases examined. The revelations have put the state government on the back foot, with health minister Roger Cook...
