Judicial Appointments: Politics or Merit?
The appointment of Tim Carmody to the position of Queensland’s Chief Justice on 8 July 2014, was one of the most controversial decisions in Australia’s recent legal history. Carmody had previously held the position of Chief Magistrate of the Local...
Are Judges Too Soft on Criminals? You Be the Judge!
Everyone from the local taxi driver to your neighbour is an expert on sentencing when it comes to cases reported in the media. I mean, we’ve all been well educated by a plethora of TV shows like Judge Judy, Silk,...
Stop Arresting People for Drugs! Nimbin Locals Protest
On August 31 this year, another of Nimbin’s so-called “Lane Boys” was arrested at Nimbin police station under Strike Force Cuppa, a cross-border police investigation into the large scale supply of cannabis in the NSW Northern Rivers town. The 26-year-old...
China Hacks Australian Defence Force Servers
Australian defence networks are reported to have sustained significant cyber breaches over the past five years, due to the activities of Chinese state-sponsored hackers. Australian satellite company Newsat - responsible for government security networks – has had to rebuild security...
Daniel Morcombe’s Killer’s Lawyer Suspected of Fraud
Until recently, criminal defence lawyer Tim Meehan enjoyed a glowing profile on his firm’s website. Now, his name has been removed from both the website and the Queensland Law Society’s online directory of lawyers. It has been reported that Mr...
Violence in Sport: What Does the Law Say?
It seems like a week doesn’t go by without a footy player being in the media spotlight for a criminal offence – whether ‘recreational’ drug use, a nightclub brawl, or even worse, domestic violence. Believe it or not, many footballers...
Revenge Porn to become a crime in New South Wales
Thinking about getting back at your ex by posting nude pic or some saucy sex video online? Think again. Not only is revenge porn not cool, you could land yourself in prison. The NSW Government has announce it is making...
Ombudsman Blasts Government’s ‘Tough on Crime’ Policies
Victoria’s Ombudsman has described the state’s focus on refusing bail to suspects and imprisoning offenders as fundamentally flawed. Ombudsman Deborah Glass believes the government’s “short term headline-grabbing view of crime” does nothing to reduce crime or reoffending rates, but rather...
Roll Up, Roll Up & Become a Prison Guard!
Just days after the NSW Government announced it will pour $3.8 million into more correctional services facilities to address overcrowding in the state’s prisons, the Department of Justice has kicked-off a massive state-wide recruitment drive. “The largest recruitment drive in...
Queensland Gets Tough on Smokers
If you’re a smoker thinking about visiting the Sunshine State anytime soon, be aware that tough new smoking bans have come into effect this month. Smoking is now prohibited in bus stops and taxi ranks, as well as near child-care...
