Do I Need to Hand Police My Driver Licence?
There has been a healthy debate on social media about whether you need to hand your driver licence over to police after you are pulled over. Some argue that you only need to show your licence to police, while others...
Could Police Use Apps to Charge You with Driving Offences?
While smartphones and apps have increased the amount of information at our disposal, and while technology is presumed to be there to help us, there is always the possibility that information gathered by apps could be used against us at...
WA Police ‘Putting Numbers Before Results on Breath Tests’
Police forces across the country are often accused of revenue raising by trying to nab as many motorists as possible for driving offences, and a new survey from the WA Police Union shows that even police officers would agree. The...
Would You Want a Digital Driver Licence?
With two-thirds of Australians owning a smart phone and over a million ‘apps’ available online, technology is certainly playing an increasing part in our lives. And with your phone having the capacity to make online transactions and PayPass purchases in...
Is ICAC Getting Too Big for Its Boots?
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is responsible for investigating allegations of corrupt conduct in the NSW public sector. The ICAC has undertaken a number of high-profile investigations in recent times, including the allegations of corruption surrounding Eddie Obeid and...
Should traffic fines be based on your income?
If you think traffic fines in Australia are expensive, be grateful you don’t live in Finland or Switzerland - at least if you are a high-income earner! Traffic fines are not a fixed amount in those countries, but rather take...
Are Police Really Committed to Fighting Hate Crime?
Hate crime has been in the news recently with increased tensions arising out of reports of growing anti-Muslim sentiment among many Australians. International acts of terrorism, the reporting of the activities of ISIS, and the Sydney siege last year have...
Can Police ‘Estimates of Speed’ Stand Up in Court?
We recently posted a blog about a truck driver who received a speeding ticket based upon a police officer’s ‘estimate of speed’. The officer in question declared himself to be an ‘expert’ at estimating speed. Many people could not believe...
Should Police be Allowed to ‘Estimate’ Speed?
Revenue from speeding fines helps to fill state government coffers year-after-year. In the last financial year alone, NSW motorists paid $150 million in speeding fines. Many of those tickets were for going slightly over the speed limit in areas not...
Do I have to turn up to court if I’m pleading guilty?
Several people have recently informed our firm that they took the advice of police and filled out the back of their little yellow ‘court attendance notice’ (CAN), indicated a plea of guilty, then sent it to court only to later...
