Sending People to Prison for Minor Offences
In a plan unveiled last week, the Australian Bar Association called on state and territory governments to scrap or amend mandatory sentencing laws for crimes including fine default, minor assaults, driving offences and petty theft. They believe the laws have...
NZ Man Dies Inside Australian Immigration Detention Centre
The recent death of a New Zealand man inside Villawood Detention Centre has raised further concerns about Australia’s treatment of those held inside the privately run facility. Rob Peihopa, 42, was found unconscious by staff at Villawood Detention Centre in...
The Death of Australia’s Liberal Democracy
Many of us recently awoke to news of another terrorist attack - this time in Lahore, Pakistan. It was one of many attacks to shake the world in recent months, including bombings in Istanbul in October and the Brussels attack...
Human Rights Watch: An Exclusive Interview with Elaine Pearson
Director of Human Rights Watch Australia, Elaine Pearson, is frank in her assessment of our human rights situation: “I think the sad reality is that we’re no longer a leader on human rights, although I think in certain times we...
Police Troll Facebook Page
A Facebook page, operated by NSW MP David Shoebridge, has come under fire from the New South Wales police and Drug Free Australia for telling followers which train stations sniffer dogs are patrolling. The Sniff Off Facebook page, which has...
Minister Rejects Justice Reinvestment
Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan has rejected calls for an overhaul of the prison system, reiterating his view that imprisonment is an effective means of crime prevention. Mr Keenan was responding to a Red Cross-backed report which argues that Australia...
Drivers Getting the Message about Drink Driving
NSW police have praised drivers for the marked improvement in road safety behaviour over the recent Easter holiday season. Despite the strong police presence, the number of people detected for drink driving was significantly lower than last year. NSW police...
Federal Government’s New Watchdog: A Further Threat to Civil Liberties
Trade unions and civil liberties groups have raised concern over a recent proposal to restore power to the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC). The Commission previously faced criticism for the “coercive power” it was able to exercise over union...
Proposed ‘Public Safety Orders’: Yet Another Mechanism of State Control
The NSW government has already introduced a range of laws removing basic democratic rights and safeguards, claiming those laws are necessary to fight against terrorism and outlaw motorcycle groups. Now, it wants to give police even greater control over members of...
“Disrespectful Behaviour” in Court to be a Crime
Defendants who refuse to stand in court, or yell at judges or magistrates, could face criminal charges from next month onwards, as the New South Wales Government moves to pass new laws against “disrespectful behaviour” in courtrooms. Last week, the...
