New Surry Hills Children’s Court Brings Fresh Hope for Troubled Youths
The Bidura Children’s Court in Sydney has a long and fascinating history. It closed its doors last year and has since been replaced by the Surry Hill’s Children’s Court, but the old building standing and has been nominated for heritage...
Australian Journalist Imprisoned in Cambodia Seeks Royal Pardon
A three-judge panel of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court found Australian journalist and documentary film-maker James Ricketson guilty of espionage on 31 August. And to the disbelief of those gathered there to support the 69-year-old, the court sentenced him to six...
Silencing Dissent: Morrison Threatens to Deregister Trade Union
Reigning Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has threatened to close down the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU), following a union boss’ tweet that the head of the executive said was the last straw that broke “the camel’s back.”...
Claims of a ‘Sudanese Crime Wave’: Political Point Scoring at its Worst
Lawyer and social justice advocate Nyadol Nyuon recently asserted on a breakfast news program that media reports of a ‘Sudanese gang crime wave’ in Victoria are unfounded, as crimes committed by that section of the community represent a drop in...
Stopping Abuses Behind Bars: An Interview With Churchill Fellow Steven Caruana
“The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons,” wrote the 19th Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky. If his statement is anything to go by, then recent developments would indicate that such an evaluation could lead...
Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Public Service Scammers
Employees of the Department of Home Affairs, which is overseen by Minister Peter Dutton, are reported to have been caught claiming fraudulent sick leave – with one particular employee submitting 29 fraudulent medical certificates over a 6-year period. The figures,...
How the Government’s New Laws Will Unlock Citizens’ Private Data
On 14 July last year, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that the government wanted the power to access people’s encrypted messages. Last month, Dutton’s Home Affairs super-ministry delivered draft legislation that will allow authorities to do just that. And while...
Ousting Dutton: An Interview With Greens Candidate Benedict Coyne
A few weeks back, Peter Dutton suffered a major blow when he was defeated by Scott Morrison in the Liberal leadership battle. But despite this, the divisive politician remains a formidable force in the party room. Dutton’s still in charge...
Family Court ‘Expert’ Under Investigation
There are calls for change in the Australian family law system after an approved ‘expert’ was referred for investigation over allegations he prepared “grossly inaccurate” reports to be presented in evidence to support claims of child abuse and family violence....
Catholic Church Continues Refusal to Report Child Sexual Assaults
Australia’s Catholic leaders have steadfastly refused to break the seal of confession, regardless of the consequences. Existing laws Section 127 of the New South Wales Evidence Act enables clergy “to refuse to disclose a religious confession made to him or...
