Mental Health in the Social Media Age
Australia used to be known as ‘The Lucky Country’ - with affordable housing and education, employment security, a high standard of living and optimism for the future. Nowadays, many are racked by pessimism, boredom and hopelessness for what the future...
Child Sex Offender Cleared to Become a Lawyer
A former male escort who pleaded guilty to having sex with a minor has won the right to apply for admission as a lawyer. The law graduate, known only as KMB, successfully appealed a decision by the Queensland Legal Practitioner Admissions...
Schapelle Corby Set to Come Home
It has been reported that 22-year old Adelaide woman Cassandra Sainsbury is facing up to 25 years behind bars after being found with 5.8 kilograms of cocaine in her suitcase in Colombia. The personal trainer from Moana was on a...
Good Cop Sues for “Whistleblower Reprisal”
Suspended Gold Coast policeman Rick Flori has lodged a civil claim in the Brisbane Supreme Court, signalling the beginning of his lawsuit against the Queensland Police Service (QPS) for “whistleblower reprisal”. Mr Flori’s claim names eight police officers, including assistant...
Top DNA Analyst Sacked for Allegedly Fabricating Records
DNA evidence has become an increasingly important component of criminal investigations and prosecutions since its use became widespread in the 1990s. Today, police around the country can access the National Criminal Investigation DNA database, which contains the DNA profiles of hundreds of...
Casual Conversations Do Not Amount to Consorting
Since their enactment in 2012, the use of consorting laws by NSW police has come under significant scrutiny. The consorting law legislation was introduced into parliament by the O’Farrell government, ostensibly in response to rising gun violence attributed to motorcycle club members and organised...
RIP Government Accountability in Australia: A Privacy Guide for Journalists
With the scope of online and telecommunications surveillance today, it seems we’re very much living in an Orwellian age. Last week, the complete version of the Australian government’s mandatory metadata regime came into effect. Although the data retention laws were enacted on October 13,...
Dangerous Driving and the Law
Driving charges are some of the most commonly heard matters in New South Wales Local Courts. Whether it’s drink driving (DUI or P.C.A.), speeding or a case involving serious harm, tens of thousands of driving cases end up before magistrates...
Government Lies About Metadata Scheme
As we all were preparing for the Easter break, the government switched on the full version of its metadata retention system. Although the legislation enabling the scheme was passed in October 2015 – and data has been stored and accessed...
Abuse of Children in Australian Detention Centres Continues
Fifteen youths are still being detained on remand (ie with their cases yet to be heard) at Victoria’s Barwon maximum security adult prison on the outskirts of Geelong in a move the Victorian Supreme Court ruled unlawful in December last year. The...
