Pope Defrocks Priest who Sexually Abused Children
In an exceptionally rare but welcomed move, Pope Francis (pictured) has defrocked a Chilean priest convicted of sexually assaulting children. It’s the toughest penalty available to the Pope - with the exception of ex-communication, and a sign the Church may...
Tasmania to Enact Anti-Consorting Laws
The Tasmanian government is pushing through new legislation to criminalise the act of consorting with those who have ‘served their time’. Restricting associations The proposal would make it a crime for a convicted offender to associate with with another within...
Should Employers be Allowed to Discriminate based on a Criminal Record?
The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has delivered its long-awaited report on the case of BE v Suncorp Group Ltd [2018] AusHRC 121, which raised important questions regarding discrimination against employment applicants based on their criminal records. Human rights law...
Government Careless with the Private Data of Citizens
The South Australian Government has been forced to shut down guest access to its online land titles registry, after an unidentified overseas ‘guest user’ was able to download the personal details of more than a million Australian home owners. The...
Food Contamination Laws to be Strengthened
The federal government is proposing to increase the maximum prison term for anyone found guilty of contaminating food from 10 to 15 years. It is also seeking to broaden the scope of existing laws, in order to make it easier...
Politician Charged with Forgery, Fraud and Lying Under Oath
Former Western Australian MP Barry Urban has been charged with a dozen dishonesty offences including forgery, giving false evidence and fraud offences following his resignation from parliament. The story so far Former Labor MP, Barry Urban, quit Western Australian Parliament...
ABF and Police Powers to be Further Expanded
As one traveller recently discovered, Australian Border Force (ABF) officers have the power under section 186 of the Customs Act 1901 and its regulations to confiscate the electronic devices of those at the airport for up to 14 days. If...
The Frontier Violence Perpetrated by the NSW Mounted Police
Most Sydneysiders would have at one time or another seen members of the NSW Mounted Police out on patrol. Often these officers – who for the most part work in pairs – can be seen riding their horses down Surry Hills...
Driver Laughs as he Mows Down Mob of Emus
The driver suspected of running down at least a dozen terrified emus has be identified as a 20-year old man from Pinnaroo, a small town in South Australia. It has been reported that the suspect is the son of a...
Girl Who Refused to Sing Anthem Triggers Nationwide Debate
For many Australians, the ideals of freedom and democracy took another turn for the ‘worse’ last week when a nine year old girl was threatened with ‘suspension from school’ and criticised by politicians for daring to act in accordance with...
