Is Spitting On Someone An Offence?
While there is no doubt that spitting on someone is impolite, you may have wondered whether or not it is an offence. Here’s what you need to know. The offence of common assault in NSW Yes, spitting on someone without...
Should Storing And Cooking Live Crustaceans Be Considered A Crime?
Australia produces about 230,000 tonnes of seafood per year and imports still more. It is a popular food all year round, even giving the Christmas turkey a run for its money. You’ve probably been inside or at least walked past...
Protesting and Obstructing Traffic: What Are My Rights?
Following the handing down of the controversial Abbott budget, protests have broken out around the country, with student groups featuring fairly prominently. One student group earned notoriety by trying to hijack Q&A with banners and chants the day before the...
The $7m Insider Trading Sting: Should Police Have Stopped It?
The Australia Federal Police (AFP) recently arrested a banker from Melbourne in an insider trading sting that resulted in $7 million in assets being seized. So what is insider trading? Exactly what happened in this case? And should authorities have intervened earlier...
Four Things You Probably Don’t Know Are Against the Law
If you’re an ordinary law-abiding citizen, chances are the possibility of committing a criminal offence never crosses your mind. After all, you know when you’re breaking the law, right? Well, if you’ve ever enjoyed playing in a fountain on a...
The Implications of Funding Cuts to Legal Aid in NSW
In the United States of America, it is written in the Constitution that accused criminals have the right to have the assistance of counsel in their defence. If a defendant cannot afford counsel, then the government pays. In Australia, we...
Will Centrelink Prosecute If I Make a Genuine Mistake?
If you have been overpaid by Centrelink, you could find yourself facing an investigation and possibly criminal charges for Centrlink fraud. The exact nature of the charges and the likely penalty will depend on the circumstances and the amount of...
A Further Increase of Police Powers in NSW?
After already adding to the police powers with reforms, the Attorney General Brad Hazzard wants to go even further down the path of increasing police powers in NSW, allowing for measures that his latest press release says will allow police...
Should We Raise The Drinking Age?
Every few years the question crops up: should the drinking age be raised to 21? Often proponents of such a plan speak up after a tragic case involving teenagers and alcohol ends in fatality, as well as ongoing scientific research...
Caught in Possession of Drugs? What Now?
The last decade has seen a rise in the number of police officers deployed at festivals and events across NSW. The sight of sniffer dogs at live music events is commonplace, and the annual Nimbin Mardi Grass festival, which was...
