Men Imprisoned Over Death of Lynette Daley
Two men have been sentenced to imprisonment over the violent sexual assault and death of 33-year old Lynette Daley. Ms Daley died from injuries sustained during a sexual act committed by her ‘on-again-off-again’ boyfriend, 43-year old Adrian Attwater and his...
Defendant Appeals after Pleading Guilty Due to Incorrect Legal Advice
On the afternoon of 26 May 2015, Brett Ritchie was pulled over by police as he was driving down the Oxley Highway near Wauchope. The officers then arrested him due to outstanding warrants. Whilst standing next to the car, Mr...
Turnbull’s Foreign Donations Laws: Suppressing Anti-Government Sentiment
Political donations by foreigners will be banned and overseas government lobbyists will be required to declare their interests under new laws proposed by the Turnbull government. The legislation will be introduced amid concerns regarding the influence of Chinese government agents...
Prohibition is a Recipe for Failure
On 2 June 2011, the Global Commission on Drug Policy declared that the “war on drugs has failed”. The declaration marked a significant shift in public attitude towards the 40-year-old policy launched by US president Richard Nixon that saw the intensification...
Asylum Seeker Rights: An Interview with NZ MP Golriz Ghahraman
The 600 asylum seekers the Australian government is continuing to hold on Manus Island are now staying in transit centres in Lorengau. The facilities aren’t fully complete. There’s insufficient room to accommodate them all. And there’s a lack of water. The...
What is the Rule of Law?
The rule of law is a term that was first coined by Oxford law professor Albert V Dicey in 1885. In general terms, it’s the principle that law should govern a nation, and both the government and individuals are equally subject...
Court Order No Longer Required for Hormone Treatment
Before 30th November 2017, Australian residents under the age of 18 were required to seek court approval before being eligible for hormone treatment to change their gender. According to Dr Michelle Telfer of Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital, Australia was the...
Country-Based Drug Treatment: An Interview with Professor David Penington
In late October, Victorian premier Daniel Andrews approved a two-year trial of a safe injecting centre for North Richmond. The inner city Melbourne suburb has long been the site of an open street drug market, and 34 overdose deaths have already occurred...
Suspected Murderer Evades Fresh Prosecution
He admitted burying his boyfriend’s body. He directed police to its whereabouts. He lied repeatedly under oath. But because of double-jeopardy laws and deal struck with police, murder suspect Michael Atkins will never go to prison for his actions. The...
Scott Johnson’s Death Finally Determined a Gay Hate Crime
The third coronial inquiry into the death of Scott Johnson reported last Thursday that the 27-year-old US mathematician died as a result of a gay hate crime in December 1988. The conclusion has put to rest years of speculation that the earlier finding...
