The Offence of Tampering With Evidence in New South Wales
A New South Wales police officer who was found guilty of assaulting a Sydney woman during an illegal arrest and then falsifying evidence to “mislead a judicial tribunal” has been suspended on full pay. Senior constable Mark Follington was charged...
Questionable Jurisdiction: Academic Amanda Porter on Policing First Nations
Under the settler colonial state of Australia, the rate of incarceration of First Nations peoples has seen them become the most incarcerated people on the planet. The figures are stark. The 12,344 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people locked up...
Should “Affirmative Consent” Be Required Before Sexual Activity?
Clear verbal or behavioural assurances prior to sexual encounters will be mandatory under reforms to New South Wales sexual consent laws. Those who fail to obtain such assurances will face the prospect of being convicted of sexual offences. Welcomed by...
Can I Use My Phone’s Bluetooth or Satellite Navigation While Driving in NSW?
A young single Mum from Sydney has found out the hard way that ignorance of the road rules is not an acceptable defence, despite how obscure the rules may be. 20-year old Celina Selman was driving home after picking her...
Drop the Charges Against David McBride, Recommends Senate Press Freedoms Inquiry
The final recommendation made by the Senate inquiry report into freedom of the press was that the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions “urgently reconsider, on strong public interest grounds” whether to continue the prosecution of former military lawyer David McBride....
Upgrade and New Magistrates for Downing Centre Court
The appointment of four new magistrates has come on the back of a $10.6 million refurbishment of Australia’s busiest courthouse. Downing Centre Court has been undergoing significant refurbishments over the past several months, resulting in some restoration work on the...
When Can Police Use a Taser in New South Wales?
NSW’s State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad are investigating a case where a New South Wales man died after being tasered and pepper sprayed by police. Two police officers responded to a callout to 27-year old James Peachy’s home in Gunnedah...
Collaery Challenges Secrecy of His Whistleblower Trial
Australian barrister Bernard Collaery continues to challenge his unnecessary prosecution, which is proceeding on the whim of the Morrison government. This time, the former ACT attorney general has been railing against the secrecy provisions the nation’s ex-chief lawmaker Christian Porter...
Criminal Justice Policy is Key to Addressing Overincarceration of First Nations Kids
A recently released NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) report outlines that over the five years ending in December 2019, there was a pronounced decline in the average number of First Nations youths in custody - down from...
What Happens If I Don’t Pay a Fine?
Sheriffs have attended cancer conwoman Belle Gibson’s home after the court issued an order in an effort to recoup fines of more than $500,000. This is the second time the Victorian sheriff’s office has executed a warrant on Ms Gibson’s...
