The Case of Alexander Csergo and Mounting Cold War Criminalisation in Australia
Australian businessman Alexander Csergo, who has long resided in Shanghai, was arrested in Bondi by Australian Federal Police on 14 April, as part of an ASIO-initiated taskforce investigation, and he was promptly charged with reckless foreign interference and denied bail. The...
Sentencing Hearing in Limbo as Government Assistance Denied to Fraud Offender
The sentencing hearing for the mastermind behind a $100 million in tax fraud scheme is in limbo until the issue of who will pay his estimated $50,000 in legal fees is settled. Others involved in the Plutus Payroll scheme –...
Brittany Higgins Inquiry: DPP Accused of Withholding Evidence from the Defence
The failure to disclose material to the defence, the potential for bias in the enforcement process and the pressure to prosecute allegations of sexual offences despite the tenuous nature of the evidence are issues at the forefront of the Inquiry...
The Prosecution’s Duty To Disclose Evidence on the Defence
The role of the prosecutor is not to overzealously advocate the interests of the State but to advance the public interest. As part of this role, prosecutors have a duty of disclosure, which requires them to provide the defence with...
National Security Law Monitor Calls for the Abolition of Continuing Detention Orders
Post-sentence order regimes are playing an increasing role in criminal justice systems across Australia. These frameworks permit further restrictions to be applied to an offender, usually classed as high-risk or a person convicted of a terrorism offence, after their court-imposed...
White-Collar Crime: Definition, Categories, Evolution and Notable Cases
This article will endeavour to define what is regarded as white collar crime and explore a portion of the multitude of white-collar crimes through the ages, from the litany of the broad variety of crimes which form this type offending....
Have I Been Charged With the Correct Criminal Offence?
There is a difference between a person breaking the law and being charged with the correct criminal offence. If you have done the wrong thing, you shouldn’t assume that the police have charged you with the appropriate offence without first...
What Will the DPP Consider When Deciding Whether to Prosecute a Criminal Offence?
If you are charged with a serious criminal offence – known as an ‘indictable offence’ – the police will refer the matter to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) who will decide whether to ‘elect’ (choose) to...
When Will the Prosecution Appeal Against a Court’s Decision in a Criminal Case?
The decision to appeal against a court ‘s decision in a criminal case can be a costly and time consuming process, as well as potentially re-traumatising for both the complainant and defendant – and this can be the case whether...
Firearm Suppression Orders and Firearm Prohibition Orders in New South Wales
The year 2021 marked the 25th ‘anniversary’ of the Port Arthur Massacre - the day Martin Bryant killed 35 people and left 18 people injured in a mass shooting undertaken with a gun he bought without a license. It was...
