Sydney Siege – How Was It Allowed to Happen?
The Sydney Siege has raised more questions than it has answered. If Man Haron Monis had survived Monday’s heinous crime, the charges he could have faced may have included detain for advantage, kidnapping, weapons charges, terrorism, murder - and the...
Juvenile Killers of Janine Balding – Should they ever be released?
The imprisonment of two teenage convicted killers for life has been ruled inhumane and a contravention of human rights by the United Nations. The two were sentenced to life imprisonment for the abduction, rape and murder of Janine Balding in...
Mandatory Indefinite Sentencing – A Good Idea?
How would you feel if you were sent to prison for an indefinite period of time? Such a scenario had been proposed by the Victoria state government before its election defeat over the weekend In a bid for popularity, the...
Inexplicable Incompetence or Pure Stupidity? How Dennis got Disbarred
When retaining a lawyer to represent you in court, you’d expect them to fight hard to protect your rights - especially if they are charging you an arm and a leg to defend your innocence. The vast majority of lawyers...
Mandatory Sentencing in the NT – Perpetuating Injustice
Imagine serving time in prison for murder - even when you weren’t present at the scene of the crime. It might reek of injustice, but for Zak Grieve, this is his reality. The 19 year old Katherine man was convicted...
Validity of Anti-Biker Laws Upheld by the High Court
The High Court recently dismissed a challenge to the Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Act, upholding its validity. The decision is the latest in a long running saga between the United Motorcycle Council and State governments. Governments have passed various pieces...
Police Make Breakthroughs in Unsolved Cases
While many of us might think of television police dramas when we hear the words cold case, there are many unsolved cases in police jurisdictions across Australia, just waiting for breakthroughs. When it comes to unsolved cases, things like developments...
AC/DC Drummer charged over hiring a hitman to kill two people, charges then withdrawn
Renowned AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd made headlines for all the wrong reasons this week, after it was alleged that he hired a hitman to kill two people. He was charged with attempting to procure a murder, threatening to kill and...
Is the NSW One Punch Law Working to Reduce Violence?
The NSW one punch law has recently been put to the test with the first person being charged under the controversial new legislation, which the government says seems to be working in the fight to reduce alcohol-fuelled violence on Sydney...
Fact or Fiction? Errors, Evidence and the Neill-Fraser Case
In Neill-Fraser v Tasmania [2012] TASCCA 2, the island state’s Court of Criminal Appeal expressed its certainty that, while Susan Neill-Fraser’s sentence might be altered, an appeal against conviction would certainly not succeed. The Court was at pains to remind us...
