New Laws Against Hate Speech
“There is a fine line between hate speech and free speech. Free speech encourages debate whereas hate speech incites violence” - Newton Lee. Earlier this week, the Facebook page of Australian retailer David Jones exploded in a barrage of abuse...
Police tweet about woman being fined for stealing tampons
An Aboriginal woman in Western Australia was fined $500 for stealing a box of tampons worth $6.75. The woman took the tampons from a service station, and was caught on camera. She told police that she was stealing the tampons...
Police officers must personally pay for bashing and humiliating man
Each year, police forces in Australia pay millions of dollars in compensation to people who have been mistreated by police officers. In these situations, it is really the taxpayer who foots the bill, not the guilty officers. But while this...
New Prison for Indigenous Inmates
One of the more troubling statistics to emerge from our criminal justice system is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inmates make up 40% of Western Australia’s prison population, despite comprising only 3% of the state’s population. Many Australian prisons...
More ‘Anti-Terrorism’ Laws on the Horizon
The NSW State Government is well-known for its reactionary approach to perceived threats, with a range of laws enacted in recent years to address concerns about motorcycle groups, alcohol-fueled violence and, most of all, terrorism. The tragic killing of a...
Police Target Patrons at Charity Event
The motorcycle community has faced a relentless police campaign in recent years, following the widely-publicised Sydney Airport brawl between rival members of the Hells Angels and Comanchero motorcycle clubs. The brawl, which erupted after months of tensions between motorcycle clubs...
Tasmania Proposes to Ban Smoking
Smoking: it’s a habit that divides the nation, with many smokers feeling heavily controlled by a ‘nanny state’, while many non-smokers are frustrated by exposure to harmful second-hand smoke. For several years, Australia has been the world leader in regulating smoking....
Jurors Forced into a Guilty Verdict
In most situations, juries are required to reach a unanimous verdict - which means that every juror must either find the defendant guilty or not guilty. The exception to this rule in NSW is ‘majority verdicts’, which allow verdicts of...
Margaret Cunneen: Barristers Are Not an ‘Old Boys’ Club’
Top criminal law barrister Margaret Cunneen SC is used to having the finger pointed at her. Last year, she found herself the subject of an ICAC inquiry after she allegedly advised her son’s partner, Sophia Tilley, how to influence a...
Judge Slams DPP’s Incompetence
Delays are an ongoing issue for many NSW Courts, but a Supreme Court Justice has labelled the DPP as “incompetent” for repeatedly misinforming the court about cases, leading to unnecessary delays in court proceedings. The Case of Hamzy Mohammed Hamzy...
