Government to Remove More Legal Safeguards
Several of our previous blogs have outlined the wholesale curtailment of human rights in Australia- ostensibly passed to protect us against the threat of terrorism. While the government claims the laws are necessary for national security reasons, many are concerned...
Criminal Justice Visas and Stay Certificates
Needless to say, people who are accused of crimes in Australia can be charged even if they are not Australian citizens or permanent residents; but are just here on working, study or holiday visas. So what happens if a temporary...
Government Ignores Angry Cyclists
The New South Wales cycling community delivered over 10,000 signatures opposing new laws affecting cyclists to NSW Parliament House this week, but the government says it won’t budge. Labor’s roads spokeswoman Jodi McKay came down and accepted the petition from...
Forgotten Victims: The Families of Serial Killers
There is little sympathy for one group of victims affected by a serial killer’s reign of terror. Under the ferocious glare of the public and the weight of their own shame, desperate mothers, regretful fathers, angry daughters, and broken sons...
Court Overturns Jury’s Decision and Releases Convicted Murderer
Sydney man Moustapha Dib was convicted of murder in 2012 and sentenced to at least 30 years in prison; but he walked free from Goulburn jail on Monday after serving just over three years behind bars. Dib had previously been...
Barrister Cleared of Murder Gets Life Back on Track
Perth barrister Lloyd Rayney once made a living prosecuting criminal cases - but in an ironic twist of fate, the former Crown prosecutor was charged with his wife’s murder in 2010. Corryn Rayney’s body was found in a shallow grave...
Australia’s Most Famous Bank Robbery
Bank robberies and dramatic ‘hold-ups’ make for gripping movie plots - but to what extent does this mirror real life? Just last week, a botched bank robbery took place in Sydney’s CBD, right in front of visiting celebrity Kelly Osborne,...
Passports to Label Sex Offenders
New legislation in the US has passed through the House of Representatives which would lead to sex offenders being identified by a special mark on their passports. But in order to become law, the bill must first be signed by...
New Zealand’s ‘Three Strikes and You’re Out’ Policy
Since 2010, New Zealand has implemented a ‘three strikes policy’ to crack down on repeat offenders. The laws take power away from the courts when it comes to determining penalties for those convicted of multiple serious offences, and can lead...
Lawyers Must Fight for Human Rights
NSW Chief Justice Tom Bathurst spoke at the Law Society’s Opening of the Law Term dinner this month, raising concerns about the withering-away our most fundamental legal safeguards and protections. In response to a recent inquiry by the Australian Law...
