Insulting People Due to Race: Should it be Legal?
Just months after ethnic minorities expressed relief about the government’s abandonment of plans to repeal section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has now announced that he would support a ‘softer’ proposal that would no longer...
Social Media – Watch What You Say!
Social media has become an integral part of our everyday lives - allowing us to connect and express ourselves in a range of ways. But some use social media as a way to vent personal frustrations, without regard to the...
The Boston Bomber Death Penalty: Justice?
On 15 April 2013, a terrorist act took place that would alter the images that come to mind when we hear of the Boston Marathon. Three people were killed and hundreds were injured when two pressure-cooker bombs used exploded near...
The Depp Dog Debacle: Which Side Are You On?
Johnny Depp recently came to our shores to shoot the fifth ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movie, and like many travelling stars, chose to bring his pets along with him. He came in by private jet and the dogs, two Yorkshire...
Amateur Sleuths: Helping Police to Solve Crimes
There’s nothing like a mysterious crime to keep us on the edge of our seats. Agatha Christie knew this all too well - her many murder mystery titles are entrenched classics in modern-day literature, and there’s also a string of...
Sophie Monk’s Ordeal is Finally Over
Repeatedly calling, texting or following someone who you’ve got a crush on might seem relatively harmless - but crossing the line can result in serious consequences under the law. The rise of social media has made it easier to find...
“Justice for the Puppies”
It is rare for those who commit animal cruelty to be taken to court because such crimes either go undetected or unprosecuted. And even if they do come before a magistrate, they are not dealt with anywhere near as harshly...
Accessing Your Own Metadata: Ben’s Battle
We previously published a series of blogs about the Federal Government’s controversial new metadata laws, which were passed by the Senate in March. The Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2015 was premised on the notion that it...
City Pays People Not to Commit Crimes – And It’s Working!
What do you think about taxpayers paying repeat offenders not to commit crimes? It may sound strange, but this is just what one US town has been doing. The district of Richmond in San Francisco Bay has employed an unusual...
‘Judge Dread’ Strikes Again
One Queensland magistrate has caused concern amongst members of the legal profession after indulging in conduct that is out of keeping with what is expected of a person who holds such a powerful and important position. The magistrate, Stuart Shearer,...
