An Australian First: Prison Officer Charged With Manslaughter Over Aboriginal Custodial Death
A 57-year-old Corrective Services NSW officer presented at Lismore police station on 5 February 2021 and was charged with manslaughter over the 15 March 2019 shooting death of Wiradjuri man Dwayne Johnstone, who was a detainee in the custody of...
Post-Coup Myanmar Mobilises for Democracy. But There’s no Respite for the Rohingya
In an early morning coup on 1 February, the Myanmar military - the Tatmadaw - reassumed complete control of the nation of Myanmar, after a little over five years since the southeast Asian country held its first democratic election in...
When Does Conduct Relating to Prostitution Become a Crime?
A man and a woman have been arrested and charged for allegedly forcing females aged between 17 and 24 years to work as prostitutes. Police allege the females were systematically plied with drugs, branded with tattoos marking ownership and not...
Victoria Criminalises Gay Conversion Therapy
It’s caused tension and heated debate amongst state politicians, but the bill banning LGBTIQ+ conversion therapy has passed Victoria’s Upper House, and will soon become law. The Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Bill 2020 (Vic) makes it a criminal...
Council Confiscates and Destroys Homeless Woman’s Possessions During Lockdown
A local council in Perth has confiscated the meagre belongings of a homeless woman located at a public park where she had been sleeping, affixed labels warning of a $5,000 fine for illegal dumping before destroying the belongings. 41-year old...
The Offence of Fraud in NSW: Law, Defences, Penalties and Sentencing Considerations
A 58-year old former employee of a sports club in Southern New South Wales has been charged with fraud after allegedly obtaining more than $1.1 million dishonestly and by a deception between December 2020 and January 2021. It has been...
Teflon Gladys: Inquiry Hears Fresh Evidence of Corruption
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has attracted media headlines yet again as the New South Wales parliamentary inquiry into the allocation of government grants heard fresh reports of corruption. Summary approval The inquiry into the Integrity, Efficacy and Value for Money of...
What is ‘Child Abuse Material’ in New South Wales?
A 48-year old New South Wales police sergeant was arrested on Friday 29 January 2020 and charged with accessing child abuse material online. The sergeant, who is attached to a ‘specialist command’, was taken to Fairfield Police Station where he...
Former School Principal Faces 74 Child Sexual Abuse Charges
Alleged child sex offender Malka Leifer was extradited from Israel last week, just hours before the Israeli airports were closed due to coronavirus restrictions. Her arrival back in Australia ends several years of negotiations between government officials at the highest...
What is a Contempt of Court?
A man has taken the extraordinary step of personally suing a Family Court Judge after he was sent to prison for contempt of court during family law proceedings. The story so far In 2018, Mr Stratford (his real name cannot...
