English Proficiency Test for Visas Assessed By a Computer
It sounds like a joke you might hear at the pub…. About the Irish vet who couldn’t pass an English-speaking test. But it’s not. It’s actually the real-life story of Louise Kennedy, an equine vet who has been living in...
Changes Brought In by the New National Firearms Agreement
First published: 10 August 2017 Last week, we featured a piece on the mass shootings that led to tighter gun controls in Australia, such as the Hoddle Street and Strathfield massacres. There were others. Frank Vitkovic killed eight people and then himself...
Police Caught Planting Evidence
Two different groups of Baltimore police officers have been accused of planting evidence at supposed crime scenes, after incriminatory body camera footage came to light. The videos have forced Baltimore prosecutors to drop dozens of cases involving one of the...
The Campaign Against Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients
As part of the May budget, the Turnbull government announced its controversial plan to drug test people who are in receipt of social security. Australian treasurer Scott Morrison described it as a “modest drug testing trial” for 5,000 new Youth Allowance and...
Man Charged Under Carly’s Law
The federal parliament passed Carly’s Law in June of this year, and police have just used it for the first time. Police in South Australia have brought charges against a convicted child-sex offender who is facing a string of fresh...
Turnbull Drags His Heels on Same-Sex Marriage
Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull announced on Monday that his government was reintroducing legislation to enable a national plebiscite on same-sex marriage. The bill – which is to be debated this week -is expected to be rejected by the Senate once more, as...
Martin Place Rough Sleepers Agree to Move, But There’s Nowhere to Go
It seems the City of Sydney has had a change of heart in regards to the Martin Place homeless camp. Rather than trying to move them on, Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore announced on Monday evening that she’d negotiated a solution...
Former Labor MPs Face Fresh Corruption Charges
Former NSW Labor ministers Eddie Obeid, Joe Tripodi and Tony Kelly have been hit with fresh corruption allegations and may face criminal charges. A report arising from an ICAC corruption investigation has recommended that findings be referred to the Office...
Appeal Court Finds GBH Sentence Inadequate, But Does Not Resentence
At 6.43 pm on 6 February 2015, Craig Lulham sent a text message to Bill, the husband of his friend Allison’s mother. It stated, “Bring the cops. I don’t care. It won’t stop me from smashing you are [sic] face...
Police Body Cameras Rarely Used
In November 2015, Queensland Police hosted a large-scale media launch for the first stage of a $6 million state-wide rollout of body cameras. At the time, the initiative was hailed as a “VERY. BIG. DEAL”, with hopes the devices would...
