Expanding the Offence of Hate Speech Will Unjustifiably Impede Free Speech
The NSW government announced this week it is contemplating redrafting hate speech laws, as the criminal offence of hate speech enacted in 2018 has not resulted in a single conviction. So, rather than seeing the absence of convictions as evidence the...
How Much Will My Sentence Be Reduced If I Plead Guilty?
A 64-year old man facing 23 allegations of historical child sexual offences, including having sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 16-years, has changed his plea from not guilty to guilty just hours after his trial started. The...
Do I Have to Testify in Court? Explaining Witness Competence and Compellability
Being called to ‘give evidence’ – also known as as testify – in a criminal trial can be a daunting experience; something you may not want to do for any of several reasons – you may be worried about saying...
AstraZeneca Faces Court Over Claims its Covid Vaccine is Dangerous
Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca is facing criminal proceedings in the High Court of the United Kingdom, over claims the vaccine which made it hundreds of millions of dollars and a household name is not as effective as marketed and has greater...
Can a Diabetic Episode be a Legal Defence? Automatism in NSW
It has been reported that the driver of a vehicle which ploughed through a roadside beer garden in regional Victoria last week, killing five people, may have been experiencing a diabetic episode. The effects of diabetes can give rise to...
The Offence of Causing Danger with a Firearm in New South Wales
A Sydney-based police officer has been handed a criminal conviction and placed on a good behaviour bond after pointing a loaded pistol at a junior colleague and threatening “I’ll shoot you”. 30-year old Constable Dominic Gaynor pointed his police-issued Glock...
Police Under Investigation Over Another Alleged Assault at Care Facility
Two South Australian Police Officers have been removed from active duty and are under investigation for potential assault charges after tasering and pepper spraying a man in his 60s at a care facility on 26 October 2023, leaving him with...
Richard Branson Calls on NSW to Decriminalise Drugs, “For God’s Sake”
“For God’s sake, do something about it,” global entrepreneur Richard Branson told NSW premier Chris Minns, as he ended a video message sent to the constituencies of the ACT and this state, after having pointed out that our part of the...
Food Delivery Riders Face Fines for Not Wearing High-Visibility Vests
It seems that as each year goes by, more and more rules come into effect regulating our everyday lives, ostensibly for our own protection but increasingly making it harder to go about our business without finding ourselves in the wrong...
What is a Criminal Justice Visa in Australia?
A criminal justice visa allows a person who is not an Australian citizen or a valid visa holder and is accused of a crime or otherwise required for the criminal justice process to remain or arrive in the country while...
