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...
Sydney Criminal Lawyers® Participate in Strong Women Challenge
ActionAid is a women’s rights organisation with far-reaching impact. The organisation was established in the UK in 1972, and its Australian arm has been operating for more than 40 years. ActionAid fights for women’s rights across a number of fronts,...
How Do I Find the Right Lawyer in NSW?
There comes a time when most of us will need a lawyer, whether to buy or sell property, recover a debt, or something that can be even more stressful such as a family or criminal law issue. So it’s good...
Clan-Based Treaties: An Interview with MP Lidia Thorpe
The Victorian electorate of Northcote had been a Labor stronghold for 90 years. But the November 18 by-election in the inner city district revealed that the local constituents in Melbourne’s north were looking for a more progressive representative. And the...
