Changes to NSW Sentencing Options: Community Correction Orders
The NSW Parliament assented to the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Amendment (Sentencing Options) Act 2017 (the Act) on 24 October 2017, which amends the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (the Sentencing Act) as it relates to the penalty options available to magistrates and...
New ‘Foreign Interference’ Laws Are Aimed at Stifling Dissent
Donald Trump has insisted throughout his presidency that there was “no collusion” between his election campaign and the Russian government. Just hours before his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was set to go on trial for tax and bank fraud...
Citizens’ Group to Fight Police Corruption
Many believe the culture of misconduct in the Queensland Police Force (QPS) is worse than ever before, even poorer than prior to the state’s 1987 Fitzgerald Inquiry into police corruption. Despite recommendations for better accountability mechanisms, police in Queensland -...
Police Officers Not Disciplined Despite Endangering Victims
Concerns have re-emerged about Queensland police officers escaping discipline despite illegally accessing the personal information of individuals on a restricted police database. Information released under the state’s right to information laws reveals that of 59 officers investigated internally after illegally...
Cheating on Gambling in New South Wales
The New South Wales government strictly regulates gambling in our state. There are mountains of rules and regulations dictating when, where and how people are allowed to gamble. Those rules make it illegal to conduct a betting event without a...
NSW Police Force Ordered to Pay $124,000 over Brutal Arrest
New South Wales taxpayers will once again foot the bill after an officer unlawfully and brutally arrested a 17-year old outside a bakery at Glenbrook in the Blue Mountains. A District Court judge has ordered the government to pay the...
NSW Police Officer May Face Criminal Charges Over Brutal Assault
The Byron Bay police officer who struck a naked teenager 18 times with his baton during a violent arrest could lose his job and potentially face assault charges over the incident. In his closing submission at the second of two...
How Long Can Police Keep an Arrested Person in Custody?
The Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (the LEPRA) sets out police powers in New South Wales as well as many of the rules officers are required to follow when exercising those powers. Can police arrest me without a...
Arresting Drivers for Using Cold and Flu Tablets Will Not Save Lives
NSW roads minister Melinda Pavey has announced there will be an expansion of substances that can ‘influence’ drivers for the purpose of laws against driving under the influence (DUI). She has also announced a strategy designed to assess whether individuals...
Defendants in Domestic Violence Cases Prohibited from Questioning Complainants
Currently, self-represented litigants in the Family Court are permitted to cross-examine opponents, even in circumstances where there has been an allegation of domestic violence. However, the Turnbull government has drafted laws aimed at stopping this. Australian attorney general Christian Porter...
