Dutton Settles Asylum Seeker Claim But Denies Responsibility
The Federal Government has agreed to pay $70 million to asylum seekers who suffered physical and psychological harm on Manus Island. In a class action brought by 1,905 detainees held between 2012 and 2016, the plaintiffs alleged the government had falsely...
Police Arrest Patient For Possessing Medicinal Cannabis: An Interview with MCUA’s Deb Lynch
On June 19, Queensland police arrested Deb Lynch, secretary of the Medicinal Cannabis Users Association of Australia (MCUA), on charges of possessing a dangerous drug. Several officers were at her Cornubia residence on a different matter, when they noticed her...
Tough Bail Laws Can Affect Anyone, Not Just ‘Criminals’
The presumption of innocence is a fundamental principle of criminal law. It posits that a person is to be presumed innocent until and unless the prosecution is able to establish his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The principle...
A Victory for the Street Kitchen and Safe Space, As Government Provides Housing
In an unprecedented move, Housing NSW has “throw out the rule book” and offered housing to the rough sleepers who’ve been staying overnight at Sydney’s 24-7 Street Kitchen and Safe Space. On Saturday, City of Sydney council workers and NSW...
Man Appeals to High Court After Prosecution Expert is Discredited
In October 1972, Frits Van Beelan was convicted of murdering 15-year old Deborah Leach in Adelaide’s north-west, and sentenced to death. He successfully appealed the conviction, but a jury once again found him guilty in July 1973 after a retrial,...
City of Sydney Shuts Down 24-7 Street Kitchen and Safe Space
Homelessness is a growing problem in Sydney, with hundreds of people sleeping rough in and around the CBD every night. These people have nowhere else to stay, and with the city’s lack of public housing and current housing affordability crisis,...
Turnbull Clears the Way for Indian Company to Build Adani Mine
A bill amending native title law was passed in the Senate on June 14 with bipartisan support. In February, attorney-general George Brandis rushed the legislation through the lower house in response to a Federal Court decision that threatened past and future Indigenous...
Applying for Asylum: An Interview with Asylum Seekers Centre’s Steven Glass
At the end of May, Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton gave 7,500 asylum seekers until October 1 to lodge their applications for a visa, or face deportation. Dutton went so far as to imply that some of these people – who made...
Victoria Police May Get the Power to Search Without a Reason
Victoria police are pushing the Andrews government to expand police search powers at music festivals, so that officers are able to search patrons for drugs without having a reasonable suspicion to do so. Police claim the powers are necessary to...
Barriers to Medicinal Cannabis: An Interview with Medical Cannabis Advisory’s Grace Sands
Last week, a Greens motion passed through federal parliament that allows terminally ill patients faster access to cannabis medicines. These patients are now able to import up to three months’ supply of medical marijuana from regulated markets overseas. The disallowance motion...
