Father Convicted After Buying Gifts For His Son
Australia has perhaps the strictest quarantine laws in the world. We even have the TV show Border Security, where we can watch people get into trouble for infringing them. The long list of things that are not allowed into the...
Euthanasia – Will it Finally be Made Legal in Australia?
Recent events have led to a vast amount of media attention being placed on issues surrounding euthanasia and the law in Australia. Although the euthanasia debate has been ongoing for a number of years, it has recently been reignited due...
Will the Budget Lead to Increased Levels of Crime?
The federal government’s controversial first budget has led to complaints and issues being raised by several welfare and advocacy groups. A number of the budget proposals, including making people wait for six months before claiming unemployment benefits, cuts to welfare...
18C is here to Stay
Tony Abbott recently announced that the proposed repeal of 18C will no longer be going ahead. His plan had met with community backlash, with protesters hitting the streets to show their opposition. This provision of the Racial Discrimination Act makes...
Proposed Anti-Terrorism Laws Causing Concern
There is growing speculation that Prime Minister Tony Abbott is considering new anti-terrorism measures to apply to those returning to Australia after spending time in Iraq or Syria. This is due to the risk of Australians returning home after fighting...
New Chief Judge Appointed to NSW District Court
Like the rest of the legal community, I am saddened by the retirement of Chief District Court of NSW Judge Reginald Blanch AM who will be stepping-down on 7th August 2014. Justice Blanch is respected by members of the legal...
A New Trial in Lithgow Jail to Cut Prison Crime
This month in the Sydney District Court, Bassam Hamzy pleaded guilty to the kidnapping of John Baroutas back in 2008 as well as supplying a commercial quantity of drugs and other offences. But the most astonishing thing is that he...
DPP v Mathews-Hunter
Although police powers have been increasing in legislation, the judges are still firmly upholding fundamental common law rights in the courtroom. Just ask Mathews-Hunter, an eighteen year old who was recently in front of the NSW Supreme Court, after being...
Sale of E-Cigarettes Declared Illegal in WA
Western Australia is the first state in the country to ban the sale of e-cigarettes, even though it is still legal to sell and purchase ordinary tobacco products. In a recent landmark ruling, Perth e-cigarette seller Vince Van Heerden was...
Queensland Police Make First Bitcoin Arrest
A man has been arrested in Queensland in what is believed to be the first bitcoin-related arrest in the state. 21-year-old Shane Duffy of Kingaroy, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, has been charged with possessing tainted property. Police allege some of...
