Beware of Callers Claiming to be from Government Agencies
Mumbai police arrested the head of a major multi-million dollar fraud operation run out of a network of Indian call centres last Saturday. The scam involved call centre operators ringing individuals in Australia, as well as in the US and the...
The Hypocrisy Surrounding US Airstrikes in Syria
The US military airstrike targeting the government-controlled Shayrat airbase in Syria last Thursday night has raised questions as to motivations of US president Donald Trump ordering the attack. The president did not seek congressional approval for the strike, which comprised 59...
Centrelink’s Release of Critic’s Personal Information May Be a Crime
A prominent barrister believes the federal human services minister or one of his staff may have committed a crime by releasing a Centrelink client’s personal information. Robert Richter QC was commissioned by the federal Labor party to provide advice on...
NSW Crimes Rates are the Lowest in 40 Years
Crime rates across NSW have dropped to their lowest in 40 years. The latest annual report by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) has found that most major categories of crime have fallen or remained steady over...
Indigenous Treaty Now, Not Just Constitutional Recognition
The Referendum Council is currently travelling around Australia carrying out the Dialogues: a series of meetings with First Nations peoples to discuss the issue of recognising the nation’s Indigenous people within the Australian constitution. The meetings seek to establish an agreement on...
Islamophobia: An Interview with AFIC President Keysar Trad
Practising Muslims pray five times a day. It’s one of the five pillars of Islam, referred to as Salat. When they do so they kneel down and prostrate themselves, resting on a small mat and facing in the direction of Mecca:...
The Real Laws That Threaten Public Debate
If you read the papers, you might think section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act is the biggest threat to public debate in Australia. For almost two years, the issue has featured prominently on front pages of major newspapers around...
Police Powers to Stop, Require Identification and Search in NSW
Being confronted on the street or pulled over by a police officer can be a nerve-wracking experience. Even if you haven’t done anything wrong, you may feel concerned and anxious about how the situation will pan out, or even worried...
Decriminalising Medical Cannabis: An Interview with NSW Labor MLC Adam Searle
NSW Opposition leader Luke Foley introduced a game-changing medicinal cannabis bill before parliament on March 9, which has largely gone unnoticed. The legislation calls for the decriminalisation of possession of the medicine, as well as establishing “a lawful supply chain.” “We know that for...
Precious Police Officer Arrests Heckler
Video footage has been published of a NSW detective inspector giving a press conference outside Albury police station when an apparently intoxicated man walks from across the street with a beer in his hand and yells “bullshit”. The seasoned officer is so...