Courts Are Becoming Sympathetic to the Cause of Medicinal Cannabis
It’s estimated that around 100,000 patients are using cannabis medicines across the country. And even though the federal government legalising medicinal cannabis close to three years ago, most of these patients are forced to access their medicine on the black market. Despite...
Morrison Protects Religions, While Discrimination Against LGBTQ Students Remains Possible
At around this time last year, then Australian treasurer Scott Morrison stated in an interview with Fairfax media that he’d be playing a leading role in the push to pass further religious protection laws in 2018. Now prime minister, Morrison announced last...
Accused Murderer Granted Bail
Former high school teacher Lynette Dawson disappeared in 1982, just two weeks before her daughter was due to commence kindergarten. The mother-of-two was last seen at the Bayview home shared with her husband, Chris Dawson. Mrs Dawson’s body has never...
Criminal Charges Tarnish Rugby League’s Reputation
The Australian Rugby League Commission, which controls and administrator the game, has announced a trial of new rules for junior players in a bid to stem the tide of kids leaving the sport. The shake-up is being described as the...
Police Officer Charged With Hacking After Leaking Address of Victim
The Queensland Police officer who was found to have unlawfully accessed a police database and leaked a domestic violence victim’s details to his friend, the woman’s abusive former partner, has been charged with multiple criminal offences. An internal police investigation...
Government Limits Power of Courts to Impose Alternatives to Imprisonment
Section 5(1) of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (‘the Act’) makes clear that a court “must not sentence an offender to imprisonment unless it is satisfied, having considered all possible alternatives, that no penalty other than imprisonment is appropriate.” This is the statutory...
Another NRL Star Accused of Sexual Assault
Just weeks after NRL star Jarryd Hayne was charged with aggravated sexual assault over an incident on Grand Final night, another NSW State of Origin player has found himself accused of the very same offence. 27-year old St George Dragons...
Pensioner Imprisoned for Ongoing Drug Supply
A pensioner who sold crystal methamphetamine and heroin to his neighbours has been sentenced to a minimum term of three-and-a-half years in prison for drug supply. Mr Elefterios ‘Terry’ Skoumbourdis is an unemployed cancer survivor who set up a drug...
Drug Charge Against Ray Hadley’s Son Dismissed Due to Mental Health
Former police officer Daniel Hadley, the son of ‘tough on crime’ radio shock-jock Ray Hadley, has had a drug charge for cocaine possession dismissed on mental health grounds. Mr Hadley was reported to have been arrested while attempting to purchase cocaine...
Berejiklian’s Answer to Falling Crime: Intensify Policing and Fill Prisons
Despite the NSW government’s tough-on-crime stance, increasing investment in police numbers and the expansion in capacity of state correctional facilities, as well as a perception within the community that the streets are getting less safe, crime’s not on the rise...
