Whistleblowers Face Prison for Revealing Conditions in Detention Centres
Ever heard of the Australian Border Force Act? Chances are, you probably haven’t. This law was passed recently, quietly, and by both parties of parliament with little fanfare, and will come into effect in July 2015. You probably have, however,...
Nurses May Soon Have Police Powers
It is no secret that the excessive use of alcohol and drugs like ‘ice’ can contribute to the commission of violent crimes. The unfortunate recipients of drug and alcohol-fuelled violence are often paramedics, nurses, doctors and other frontline healthcare professionals....
Pretty in Pink: Prisoners Wearing Pink Uniforms
Going to prison involves a lot of changes, which can be stressful and daunting for those who are sent away for the first time. One of those changes is that inmates must wear prison uniforms. If you happened to be...
Fears Realised: Agencies Given Opal Card Data Without Warrant
You might think that catching public transport in Sydney is a simple transaction - you pay your money, jump aboard and arrive (often slightly late) at your destination. When the NSW Government announced the move to electronic ticketing with the...
Rights Abused While in Police Custody
The safety and wellbeing of people being held in police custody is again in the spotlight with shocking allegations emerging that a woman was held for 16 hours at Ballarat police station in regional Victoria, and not provided with any...
Domestic Violence Offenders to Wear Tracking Devices
GPS trackers are becoming an increasingly common tool of law enforcement. They can function both as a punishment as well as a preventative measure against future crimes taking place. They are currently used on those who commit child sex offences...
Cardinal George Pell to Face the Music
Allegations that Cardinal George Pell tried to cover up abuse by bribing a victim to keep quiet have once more been thrust into the spotlight at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Cardinal Pell has strongly...
Law Makes it Tougher to Tap Phones
The ripple effect of the NSW Police phone tapping scandal has widened with the announcement of a new rule surrounding the issuing of warrants for covert surveillance. Under the rule, announced by NSW Chief Justice Tom Bathurst, judges in the...
Human Rights Abuses on Nauru
Nauru: It’s the world’s smallest island nation, but it’s been making headlines in Australia of late. The island is the site of an Australian-run detention centre, which houses approximately 1000 asylum seekers in tent-like facilities. Conditions at the centre have...
Unpopular Queensland Chief Justice Set to Resign
With one fellow judge refusing to sit on cases with him, and another who secretly records a private conversation and embarrassingly reveals his real thoughts, Tim Carmody is not exactly the most popular Chief Justice that Queensland has ever known....
