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...
Charges Dropped Against Whistleblower Cop
Charges against a former Gold Coast police officer who reported on corruption in the Queensland Police Force (QPS) have been dropped, after an expert report found the evidence against him had been tampered. The incident has prompted an investigation by...
School Mistress Avoids Prison for Multiple Aggravated Sexual Assaults
Sections of the community are calling for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to appeal the sentence of a school duty mistress who has walked free after being convicted of sexual offences involving several teenage boys in her care. The...
New Surry Hills Children’s Court Brings Fresh Hope for Troubled Youths
The Bidura Children’s Court in Sydney has a long and fascinating history. It closed its doors last year and has since been replaced by the Surry Hill’s Children’s Court, but the old building standing and has been nominated for heritage...
Australian Journalist Imprisoned in Cambodia Seeks Royal Pardon
A three-judge panel of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court found Australian journalist and documentary film-maker James Ricketson guilty of espionage on 31 August. And to the disbelief of those gathered there to support the 69-year-old, the court sentenced him to six...
Claims of a ‘Sudanese Crime Wave’: Political Point Scoring at its Worst
Lawyer and social justice advocate Nyadol Nyuon recently asserted on a breakfast news program that media reports of a ‘Sudanese gang crime wave’ in Victoria are unfounded, as crimes committed by that section of the community represent a drop in...
Catholic Church Continues Refusal to Report Child Sexual Assaults
Australia’s Catholic leaders have steadfastly refused to break the seal of confession, regardless of the consequences. Existing laws Section 127 of the New South Wales Evidence Act enables clergy “to refuse to disclose a religious confession made to him or...