Strip Searches: State-Perpetrated Sexual Acts
NSW police use of strip searches hasn’t just risen in recent times, but almost become routine. Over the four years ending in June 2018, its general use rose by 47 percent, while last year, 11 percent of persons in respect...
Passive Smoking Defence Exposes Flawed Drug Driving Regime
Magistrate David Heilpern has delivered yet another landmark ruling that reveals the shonky logic underlying the drug driving regime in NSW. The Lismore magistrate accepted last month that a woman tested positive to cannabis because of passive smoking. Nicole Spackman...
Drug Driving Charges and the Defence of Honest and Reasonable Mistake
A recent decision by the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal has ruled that drug driving is an absolute liability offence, which means the defence of being honestly and reasonably mistaken about drugs being in the system does not apply to...
Police Use of Strip Searches Skyrockets in NSW
At the 11 May Midnight Mafia festival at Sydney Olympic Park, NSW police officers searched 272 punters following an indication from a sniffer dog. Of these, 32 were charged with possession and eight were issued with new on-the-spot fines. This...
Sydney Criminal Lawyers® Weekly Rundown – Articles from 13 to 19 May 2019
In case you’ve missed any of them, here’s a rundown of the past week’s articles: A PM’s Faith Shouldn’t Be Steering a Secular Nation Scott Morrison’s religious views have shaped a number of his discriminatory, divisive and dangerous policies. Click...
Government Tightens Screws on Unjust Drug Driving Regime
As of next Monday, 20 May, first time alleged low-range drink drivers and drivers in respect of whom the presence of drugs is confirmed by a laboratory analysis will be fined $561 and have their licences suspended for three months....
A Right Now Politician: An Interview With the Australian Greens’ Matthew Thompson
In many ways, this coming federal election is an anomaly in its disconnect. According to the ABC’s Vote Compass, the number one issue that concerns Australian voters is the environment, which for the most part means climate change at present....
Why the Greatest Medicinal Plant is Outlawed: An Interview With HEMP’s Dr John Jiggens
As Australian historian Dr John Jiggens puts it, cannabis is the “greatest herbal medicinal plant on the planet”. It can be used to treat more conditions than any other medicine. There’s no risk of overdose. And early last century, it...
Police Raid on Nimbin Hemp Embassy: Little More Than a Show of Strength
Stores in California will open at 2am AEST tomorrow morning. And some of the shoppers living in the fifth largest economy in the world will buy legal cannabis to smoke. Meanwhile, there will be other Californians at home, tending to...
Sydney Criminal Lawyers® Weekly Rundown – Articles from 29 April to 5 May 2019
In case you’ve missed any of them, here’s a rundown of the past week’s articles: The Law on Making a False Declaration Former One Nation Senator Rod Culleton has been referred to police over allegations he made a false declaration...