Should we cancel the passports of suspected terrorists?
In the wake of terrorist attacks such as the Sydney siege and the Charlie Hebdo shootings, national leaders have proposed various means of dealing with those who are suspected of terrorism. While criminal law imposes heavy penalties for terrorism, politicians...
Should welfare recipients lose their benefits if they test positive to drugs?
In recent years, the suggestion that those on, or applying for, welfare benefits should be forced to undergo drug testing has gained popularity several Western nations. More than that, it has actually been implemented in some countries including New Zealand...
Should lie detectors be used in Australia?
The law says that the prosecution must prove a case beyond reasonable doubt in order for a person to be found guilty of a criminal offence. But in reality, many cases are decided upon whichever party comes across as credible...
Should the Government Control the Sex Lives of Consenting Adults?
The media hype right now may circulate about “Fifty Shades of Grey” coming to big screen, but anyone with a law degree will no doubt remember an equivalent case in the criminal law component of their studies. The case of...
Legal Aid Funding Cuts and the Right to a Fair Trial
The right to a fair trial is an essential cornerstone of our legal system, but the Federal Government’s cuts to Legal Aid funding look set to erode this important safeguard. The government’s tough budgetary measures have resulted in widespread funding...
Deaths from Drug Overdoses – Should Drug Suppliers be held Accountable?
We recently published a blog about the “A State of Trance” music festival in Sydney, where a 19-year-old man tragically lost his life from a suspected drug overdose. As with many of our blogs, the post sparked a lively discussion...
What Relevance Can Private Lives Have in Court in Australia?
Appearing in a criminal court is stressful, no matter whether you are the complainant, the defendant or a witness. In the UK, a number of high-profile cases in which celebrities and members of the public were reportedly humiliated in the...
Is Torture Ever Justifiable?
Jakob von Metzler, an eleven-year-old German boy, vanished one afternoon on his way home from school. He was supposed to leave with his family for a holiday the next day, but he had been kidnapped by a man who later...
They can’t take my home! Man chains himself to machinery to protest compulsory acquisition
A letter arrives in the mail box one day telling its owner that the government is going to “compulsorily acquire” his home. Over 40 homes of his neighbours get the same letter. The government has earmarked the area for demolition...
No Prison for Child Sexual Abuse? Religious Leader in Hot Water over Controversial Views
Child sexual abuse is an epidemic that has plagued some of the most influential institutions in the country; including churches, schools and major sporting clubs. And as the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the ‘RCIRCSA’) enters...
