The Panopticon is Watching Us All
The panopticon is a prison design comprised of a central observation tower which is surrounded by a circular building containing multiple levels of single inmate cells around the circumference. From the tower, a prison guard is able to observe each of...
It’s Queensland’s Turn to ‘Lock Out’ Unsuspecting Patrons
By Blake O’Connor and Ugur Nedim Sydney’s lockout laws signalled the death of many well-known bars, clubs and restaurants in the CBD and Kings Cross, with some labelling them “religious ideology gone made” and an “international joke thanks to the...
Blasphemy is a Crime in NSW
Christianity has had a difficult year. Putting the Royal Commission on child sexual abuse and proceedings against Christian schools aside, atheists have officially knocked Catholics off their top spot as the country’s most followed belief system. The Census results are...
Turkey’s Relentless Attack on Human Rights Defenders
At around 10 am on July 5, Turkish police raided a routine professional workshop for human rights defenders at a hotel in Büyükada, one of the Princes Islands near Istanbul. The activists were arrested and are now detained and investigated...
Personal Trainer Accused of Pushing Too Hard
A popular fitness chain is at the centre of a legal battle, with a member launching civil proceedings for an injury allegedly sustained during a personal training session. Daniel Popp is suing Snap Fitness for negligence after being hospitalised for...
China’s Influence on Australian Politics: An Interview with a Tibetan Refugee
A group of Tibetan demonstrators conducted a peaceful protest over the Chinese occupation of their country, and the circumstances surrounding the death of prominent Tibetan religious leader Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, at the Chinese consulate in Sydney’s Camperdown in July 2015. A recent Australian...
NSW Police Failed to Investigate Homophobic Murders
An inquest into the death of 27-year old American mathematician Scott Johnson has heard evidence that defence force personnel at the Army School of Artillery at North Head in Sydney would frequently brag about bashing homosexual men who met at...
Outback Work-for-the-Dole Scheme Discriminates Against Indigenous Communities
The federal government’s outback work-for-the-dole scheme is wreaking havoc in remote Indigenous communities. Introduced on July 1 2015, the Community Development Program (CDP) has been labelled an overly punitive scheme that may breach the Racial Discrimination Act. The program currently...
Casual Workers Win Right to Request Permanent Work
After its decision earlier this year to slash penalty rates for casual hospitality and retail staff, the Fair Work Commission has now handed casual workers a small win. Casual employees under 85 modern awards will soon have the right to...
Silencing Dissent: Myanmar Authorities Arrest Journalists
At around 3.30pm on June 26, a group of seven people were arrested by Myanmar authorities at a military checkpoint in the country’s conflict-ridden northern Shan state. Three local journalists were among the group who were detained in Namhsan township...
