Should the Government Rescue Australians Stranded Overseas?
The plight of a young South Australian family trapped in the Philippines made headlines this week, as President Duterte gave police, military officials and barangay officials ‘shoot to kill’ orders for anyone disobeying rules, protesting against the country’s strict Coronavirus...
George Pell Not Guilty, High Court Finds
Cardinal George Pell will walk free today after the High Court of Australia granted special leave for him to appeal against his convictions in the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Victoria for child sexual offences, allowed his...
The COVID-19 Response Is Undermining the Rule of Law
Australia’s liberal democracy rests upon the doctrine of the separation of powers, which upholds the rule of law. It ensures that the three arms of government - the legislative, the executive and the judicial - remain separate entities. The legislature,...
The Offence of Criminal Negligence in New South Wales
The same day that The New South Wales Government ordered the closure of Bondi Beach, slamming beachgoers for being careless and flouting COVID-19 social distancing regulations, the Ruby Princess was given the go-ahead to dock in Sydney, bringing with her...
COVID-19 Social Controls: ‘An Authoritarian Wet Dream In Progress’
In the past several weeks, the government has pushed through legislation with unprecedented speed, ostensibly to slow the spread of COVID-19 by enforcing physical distancing and restricting travel. Amongst these laws are those which severely restrict our freedom of movement...
Judges Call For Oversight of Police Powers During COVID-19
A number of prominent former Australian judges are calling for a bi-partisan parliamentary oversight committee to ensure adequate scrutiny of Australia’s COVID-19 response. A similar body has already been established in New Zealand, with many local legal scholars sounding the...
Man Fined for Eating a Kebab Alone on a Bench
When New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian shut down Parliament House last week, she essentially left the NSW Police Force in charge of the health and wellbeing of the state. New laws had already been rushed through Parliament giving police...
The Offence of Failing to Comply With a Public Health Order
It has been reported that at around 9.20am on Wednesday, 1 April 2020, a 41-year old woman from Queanbeyan in south eastern New South Wales was walking along a street in Cooma when she allegedly “stepped in front of another...
COVID-19: The New Restrictions on Gatherings and Movement
In recent weeks, several pieces of rights-eroding legislation have been rushed through state and federal parliaments, and orders made under broad powers contained in existing legislation, which are ostensibly to promote public safety but at the same time give unprecedented...
COVID-19: Sweeping Changes to Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) Procedures
As COVID-19 continues to impact on the community, the Chief Magistrate of the Local Court NSW, Judge Graeme Henson continues to make new arrangements to protect court users. The latest arrangements relate to Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs) and will start...
