Coroner Criticises Police ‘Shoot to Kill’ Policy
South Australia’s Deputy Coroner, Anthony Schapel, has criticised the policy of police to shoot persons who pose “high-risk threats” in the torso, suggesting each situation should instead be assessed and killing used only as a measure of last resort. During...
NSW Police Must Be Stopped From Misusing Strip Searches
Over the last 12 years, the use of strip searches by NSW police has increased 20 fold, according to a just released report commissioned by the Redfern Legal Centre. In the 12 months to 30 November 2006, 277 strip searches...
Are There Situations Where a Person Who ‘Confesses’ Should Plead ‘Not Guilty’?
Tim Watkins was only 22 years old when he was left for dead by the side of Wilsons Creek Road earlier this year. He was riding his bicycle home from a mates’ house shortly after midnight on a road he...
Should George Pell Be Defrocked?
Child sexual abuse victims have all eyes on the Vatican, waiting for swift and decisive action by Pope Francis in the wake of George Pell’s failed appeal against his convictions. Unfortunately for them, they could be waiting for some time....
Protect Our Eroding Rights: An Interview With Human Rights Law Centre’s Tom Clarke
The understanding that human rights aren’t protected under this nation’s federal law is no longer just the domain of lawyers and politicians. There’s now a growing awareness within the general population that something’s amiss when it comes to basic freedoms...
Communities of Resistance: An Interview With an Antifascist Activist
The 2005 Cronulla Riots involved five thousand Anglo Australians converging upon North Cronulla Beach to “reclaim” the strip of sand. And the “Aussie pride” protesters began randomly attacking people of Middle Eastern appearance, who were supposedly trying to “take over”....
Black Deaths in Custody – Where Did We Go Wrong?
Greens MLC David Shoebridge recently stood in front of a crowd of protesters calling out the Australian government for failing our Indigenous community. The activists held placards reading ‘Black Lives Matter’ as they stood in solidarity for the victims of...
Police Officer Accused of Targeting Critic of ‘Harmful Cult’
South Australian police detective, Eric Walsh, has been accused of leading fellow members of an organisation described as a “socially harmful cult” to have criminal charges brought against a critic. Sergeant Walsh allegedly advised 30 fellow members of the organisation,...
Skewed Priorities: Morrison Promises Billions to Australian Special Forces
Prime minister Scott Morrison announced on 12 August at southwest Sydney’s Holsworthy army barracks that the government will be investing $3 billion in cutting edge military equipment for the nation’s special forces over the next 20 years. The PM said...
George Pell’s Appeal Against Convictions for Child Sexual Abuse Fails
A majority of a panel of Supreme Court justices has rejected the appeal by George Pell against his convictions for child sexual abuse. The decision means that Mr Pell, who has already spent 24 weeks in prison, has been ordered...
