Cold Cases Still Warm: Sexual Assault at Sydney Uni and ‘Suicide’ at Koorawatha
At 7.15 am on October 29 1977, Annette Louise Morgan set off down inner city Sydney’s Glebe Point Road to meet a friend at the notorious St Paul’s College at Sydney University. Less than two hours later, her body was found dumped...
Government Promises to Finally Make Medicinal Cannabis Accessible
At a Council of Australian Governments health council meeting last Friday, all state and territory health ministers signed onto a national scheme to streamline patient access to medicinal cannabis products. Federal health minister Greg Hunt said prescribing cannabis medicine will be left...
Greens Push to Legalise Cannabis
The Greens have highlight the fact that drug prohibition has proven to be a “dismal failure” and are pushing to legalise marijuana across Australia. It is the first party with seats in parliament to call for the legalisation of recreational...
Cameras to Soon Detect Illegal Mobile Phone Use
The New South Wales Government will be trialling high-tech cameras which they say are capable of detecting illegal mobile phone use from as far as a kilometre away, and issuing fines without drivers being aware. Premier Gladys Berejiklian is calling...
When is a Defendant Unfit for Trial?
Fitness for trial relates to the defendant’s ability to comprehend and fairly participate in the trial process. It is a procedural question which is reserved for the higher courts, such as the District or Supreme Court, and is separate from...
Ball Tampering Scandal: A Way to Divert Attention from Government Misconduct
Former English cricket captain Andrew Flintoff told the BBC on Monday that it was “absolute nonsense” that the three Australian cricketers implicated in the recent ball-tampering scandal were the only players who were involved in the deceit. The now-notorious incident saw...
E-cigarettes Banned from Public Places
The New South Wales government says it is clearing up the confusion over the legality of vaping across the state. New laws will come into effect in July which mandate a blanket ban on vaping wherever regular smoking is prohibited,...
Push for Wage Theft to Be Made a Criminal Offence
A group of Victorian Unions is leading a campaign to make ‘wage theft’ a criminal offence ahead of the upcoming state election. The Victorian Trades Hall Council and its Young Workers Centre are pushing the government to enact legislation which...
Changing the Rules: An Interview With ACTU Secretary Sally McManus
During her National Press Club speech on March 21, Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) secretary Sally McManus painted a bleak picture of the state of worker’s rights under the Turnbull government. Ms McManus described an industrial system where “wages are...
Three New Magistrates for New South Wales
It has been announced that lawyers Richard Funston, Leanne Robinson and Andrew Miller will be appointed as magistrates of the Local Court of NSW. Magistrates are often responsible for making decisions about large numbers of cases on a daily basis,...
