Possession or Use of a Firearm: What Do Courts Look at During Sentencing?
Many of the offences relating to the possession or use of firearms in New South Wales are contained in the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW) (‘the Act’). The Act was introduced as part of a national campaign to strengthen gun control,...
Cardinal George Pell May Never Face Trial in Australia
Earlier this week, Victorian police confirmed they had received advice from the State’s Director of Public Prosecutions regarding historic allegations of child sexual assault against former-Sydney Archbishop George Pell. While police are yet to announce whether formal charges will be...
First Test for NSW Anti-Protest Laws
Three people from a small community in New South Wales are facing up to seven years in prison after protesting against expansion plans for a coal mine located near the tiny town of Wollar where they live. Bev Smiles, Bruce...
The NSW Government’s ‘Justice’ Reforms: Part Two
As outlined in an earlier post, the NSW government recently announced a suite of new “justice” reforms, as part of its ongoing “tough on crime” stance. Not only is the government investing heavily in more prisons, its also strengthening the laws...
NSW Government’s ‘Justice’ Reforms: Part One
The NSW government is continuing its tough on crime stance. Last week, the Coalition announced it will be introducing a series of “tougher and smarter justice reforms,” which include tougher sentencing options, stricter rules for parole and more intense monitoring of...
The Australian Prison Boom and the Need for Decarceration
The imprisonment rate in Australia has been on the rise since the 1970s. At present, it’s at an all-time high. As of June last year, there were 38,845 adult prisoners in Australian correctional facilities, which was an 8 percent increase on the year...
How to Deal with a Vexatious Litigant
Going through court proceedings can be costly, stressful, frustrating and time-consuming - especially if you are the target of a baseless or false claim. Those who repeatedly institute such claims not only put others through unnecessary hardship, they add to...
Innocent Man Convicted After Botched DNA Test
Controversial DNA testing laboratory PathWest is under fire once again in the wake of fresh revelations that an innocent man was wrongly convicted and suffered the consequences of a criminal record for more than a decade after staff at the...
Victoria to Invest $70 Million into Mental Health Services
The Victorian government has unveiled a $70 million package aimed at reducing crime through improved mental health services. $40 million of the funds will go towards expanding the high-security Thomas Embling Hospital, a forensic facility where people with mental health...
The Implicit Racism in the War on Drugs
Drug prohibition has been a global phenomenon for nearly a hundred years now. The 1925 Geneva Convention imposed international restrictions on the production and use of opium, coca and, as a late addition, cannabis. However, the war on drugs was declared...
