Prison Administrators Fail to Prevent Violence
It is often said that people are sent to prison as punishment, not to be punished. But the rising incidence of injury and illness within prisons across Australia has renewed concerns about how our prisons are being administered. This week,...
Fu@#en Hell! … Can I be fined for swearing?
Police have an enormous amount of discretion when it comes to fining or sending people to court for swearing – as long as: the language would be considered offensive by a ‘reasonable person’, is uttered in a public place (including the...
Jury Nullification: Power to the People
Being on a jury is an important civic duty, although it can disrupt work and family commitments. A jury’s primary role in a criminal case is to decide the facts, and the ultimate question of whether a defendant is guilty...
Male Suicide – Australia’s Hidden epidemic
By Sonia Hickey One researcher says: “The breach between what we know and what we actually do, is lethal.” He’s talking about male suicide. The Australian Psychological Society estimates that close to 80% of all suicides in this country are...
Human Rights in Australia: Time for a Change?
By Sonia Hickey Being detained and questioned, or having your phone lines tapped because intelligence agencies are gathering information sounds like a scene out of a blockbuster movie, right? Cue Tom Cruise operating some sophisticated futuristic technology, and we’re all...
The Importance of Time Management in Legal Practise
When assisting dozens of clients in a fast-paced environment, lawyers are required to effectively and efficiently manage their time, in order provide the highest quality service to their clients while controlling stress levels. When working in criminal law as I...
Petition Against Gay Panic Defence
The push to remove “Australia’s worst law” from the books is gaining momentum, with over 238,000 people signing a petition to end the ‘gay panic’ defence in Queensland. The defence, which is used to reduce a charge of murder to...
Sending People to Prison for Minor Offences
In a plan unveiled last week, the Australian Bar Association called on state and territory governments to scrap or amend mandatory sentencing laws for crimes including fine default, minor assaults, driving offences and petty theft. They believe the laws have...
NZ Man Dies Inside Australian Immigration Detention Centre
The recent death of a New Zealand man inside Villawood Detention Centre has raised further concerns about Australia’s treatment of those held inside the privately run facility. Rob Peihopa, 42, was found unconscious by staff at Villawood Detention Centre in...
The Death of Australia’s Liberal Democracy
Many of us recently awoke to news of another terrorist attack - this time in Lahore, Pakistan. It was one of many attacks to shake the world in recent months, including bombings in Istanbul in October and the Brussels attack...
