Skewed Priorities: Two Vacant Properties for Every Homeless Person in NSW
On October 18, Australian Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon posted the following statement on her Facebook feed: In NSW, 28,190 people are homeless, while 68,000 properties sit vacant. The senator then posed the question, “Is this fair?” Of course, the overwhelming...
The Threat of Nuclear War Looms
As US president Donald Trump landed in Japan last Saturday to begin his tour of five Asian nations, North Korea’s nuclear weapons program was a primary focus. In September, Pyongyang carried out its sixth nuclear test, which led Trump to...
Report Recommends Increasing Penalties for White Collar Offences
A review of Australian corporations law has stated that punishments for many white collar crimes and regulatory breaches are too weak to act as a deterrent. The Financial System Inquiry was established by Financial Services Minister, Kelly O’Dwyer, who suggested that...
Tragic Death of Teen on Bench Press
An investigation is underway into the tragic death of a teenager who was found crushed under 98 kilograms of weight. Lanky fifteen-year old Ben Shaw was at a gym in Pine Rivers, Queensland when it is believed the bar bearing...
Manus Island: “a nation’s shame… f***ing disgraceful”
Following a chorus of international condemnation, Actor Russell Crowe’s recently made headlines blasting the Australian Government for its horrendous treatment of detainees on Manus Island, calling the situation “a nation’s shame” and “f***ing disgraceful”. The ensuing local mainstream media coverage...
Sydney Man Appeals Conviction for Swearing
A Sydney man was arrested for swearing at a NSW police officer, and is now fighting his Local Court conviction for using offensive language. When 29-year-old Filip Black was stopped by police, they asked him what he was doing in...
Good Cop Resigns from Force
In an open letter to the Queensland Police Service (QPS), former police sergeant Rick Flori has resigned stating he has ‘lost faith’ in the culture of the force and has ‘no confidence’ in its management. The former Gold Coast officer,...
Misconduct Rife Amongst Victorian Police
By Sonia Hickey and Ugur Nedim A damning report on the Victorian Police Force has described several instances of serious misconduct including assaults, harassment, stalking and predatory sexual misconduct. Among other matters, the Police Registration and Services Board reported hearing...
The Need for a Bill of Rights: An Interview with UNSW Professor George Williams
On October 17, Australia won a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council: the international body responsible for the protection of human rights around the globe. It’s hoped the nation’s new position might improve rights issues domestically. But, many aren’t holding...
Turnbull’s Homelessness Scheme Will Do Nothing to Address the Problem
One out of every 200 Australians is homeless on any given night. The last available Census data found that in 2011, there were 105,237 people experiencing homelessness in Australia. This number had risen from 89,728 in 2006, marking a 17.3...
