Is It Still Stealing If You Believe You Are Entitled To Take It?
If you honestly believed that you were owed something, and you took it without the other person’s consent, are you guilty of stealing? Not necessarily, according to current law. The law says that person who is charged with an offence...
Tim Ellis Sacked From Role as Tasmania’s Director of Public Prosecutions
The past year has seen a number of prominent Australians step down from public leadership positions. In April last year, then NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell stood down from his role after allegations of unethical conduct surfaced during an ICAC investigation....
Is Fingerprint Evidence Becoming Less Conclusive?
Fingerprints have long been seen as an infallible form of evidence, but in reality fingerprint evidence is only as good as the fingerprint examiner and quality of the print. Experienced criminal defence lawyers will be able to give numerous examples...
Smoking – Are the Restrictions Getting Too Harsh?
While smoking is still legal in Australia, restrictions on smokers are getting increasingly tighter and fines are in place for ignoring them. Councils across the country are banning smoking in public spaces, particularly in city centres, and it appears that...
Making the Most of Practical Legal Training
A career in law can be stimulating and rewarding, but it is also very stressful and demanding. The academic work is difficult, and no matter how well you do, you won’t be allowed to practice as a lawyer until you...
Moving Backwards with Bail – Is Making Bail Harder a Good or Bad Thing?
The long-awaited overhaul of the outdated Bail Act 1978 has encountered many bumps in the road towards reform. Since it came into effect on 20 May 2014, the new Bail Act 2013 has sparked fierce debate from all ends of...
New Offender Monitoring Equipment Introduced
The NSW Government has just announced that it is going to be using new, cutting edge offender monitoring equipment to keep track of those on extended supervision orders and parole. The new equipment includes a range of anklets along with...
Biting the Bullet: Should Bulletproof Vests be Legalised?
The spate of recent shootings across New South Wales has re-ignited debate about Australia’s tough weapons restrictions. Some have advocated a more liberal approach to gun laws, going as far to say that if staff in the Lindt café siege...
Human Rights Commission President Recommends Releasing Convicted Killer into the Community
Gillian Triggs is the former Dean of the University of Sydney Law School and current president of the Australian Human Rights Commission. Triggs has created outrage by recommending that John Basikbasik, a refugee from Indonesia who was convicted of manslaughter,...
The Use of Drones in Different Situations: Should There Be Greater Legal Clarity?
It started with smartphones. Within the space of a short few years, virtually everyone now has the ability to record and photograph other people at any time and in any place. Although smartphones have raised a number of privacy concerns,...
