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...
The Dark Web: A Good or Bad Thing?
The ‘dark web’ generally refers to areas of the internet only accessible through anonymous web browsers. A recent survey found that 71 percent of people across 24 surveyed countries want the dark web shut down, with most participants feeling that...
Human Rights Watch: An Exclusive Interview with Elaine Pearson
Director of Human Rights Watch Australia, Elaine Pearson, is frank in her assessment of our human rights situation: “I think the sad reality is that we’re no longer a leader on human rights, although I think in certain times we...
The Wealthy and Powerful Getting Away with Tax Fraud
In case you missed it, a leak of data from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca has allegedly exposed wealthy individuals, including public officials, hiding their money in offshore companies to avoid tax. The ‘Panama papers’ contain information about more than...
The Forgotten Third: Men Who Suffer Domestic Violence
By Sonia Hickey What if I told you that a friend turned up on my doorstep last night: bruised, covered in bite marks and scratches, shaking, and soaking wet from a long walk in the rain. A victim of domestic...
Police Troll Facebook Page
A Facebook page, operated by NSW MP David Shoebridge, has come under fire from the New South Wales police and Drug Free Australia for telling followers which train stations sniffer dogs are patrolling. The Sniff Off Facebook page, which has...
Minister Rejects Justice Reinvestment
Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan has rejected calls for an overhaul of the prison system, reiterating his view that imprisonment is an effective means of crime prevention. Mr Keenan was responding to a Red Cross-backed report which argues that Australia...
Drivers Getting the Message about Drink Driving
NSW police have praised drivers for the marked improvement in road safety behaviour over the recent Easter holiday season. Despite the strong police presence, the number of people detected for drink driving was significantly lower than last year. NSW police...
Federal Government’s New Watchdog: A Further Threat to Civil Liberties
Trade unions and civil liberties groups have raised concern over a recent proposal to restore power to the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC). The Commission previously faced criticism for the “coercive power” it was able to exercise over union...
Lawyers Protecting the Environment, An Interview with Sue Higginson
Sue Higginson isn’t your typical city lawyer. An environmentalist and former campaigner, she’s been working at EDO NSW (formerly the Environmental Defender’s Office) for the last ten years, and is now the organisation’s CEO and Principal Lawyer. Before becoming a...
