Dodgy DNA Testing Casts Doubt on Thousands of Criminal Convictions
A scathing report handed down by a six-moth Queensland Commission of Inquiry into the state’s DNA testing methods, systems and processes has put thousands of convictions at risk of being overturned on appeal. Convicted murderer Andrew Cobby is the first who...
The Offence of Fraud: Companies Generate Billions Without Criminal Consequences
This is the first in a series of 3 articles on the criminal offence of fraud. This article will focus on the history of fraud, and outline the conduct of those who engaged in the offence in what is arguably the...
What Will the DPP Consider When Deciding Whether to Prosecute a Criminal Offence?
If you are charged with a serious criminal offence – known as an ‘indictable offence’ – the police will refer the matter to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) who will decide whether to ‘elect’ (choose) to...
When Will the Prosecution Appeal Against a Court’s Decision in a Criminal Case?
The decision to appeal against a court ‘s decision in a criminal case can be a costly and time consuming process, as well as potentially re-traumatising for both the complainant and defendant – and this can be the case whether...
The Shameful History Of Calling LGBT People “Groomers”
A recent trend in conservative politics, particularly online, involves accusing LGBT people of “grooming” children - either into a particular sexual identity or to facilitate abuse. A strange focal point for this politics has been drag queens, female impersonators (often...
NSW Government Suspends Payment of Outstanding COVID-19 Fines
If you have been issued with a Covid-19 penalty notice that remains unpaid, or you have already paid an unlawfully issued fine, the good news is that all outstanding fines are on hold for the time being, and you can...
Political Voices Unite Against Four-Year-Long Detention of Assange
Independent member for Clark Andrew Wilkie has been leading the Australian parliamentary campaign to see the persecution of Australian publisher Julian Assange brought to an end, even before his slow torture remanding in Belmarsh prison commenced four years ago. The Bring...
Queensland Police Banned from Using Chokehold
Queensland Police Chief Katarina Carrol has announced that police officers in her state will no longer be using the move, and it will be removed from the training manual, saying that options have changed for officers to apply force in...
As Protests Grow Globally, Police Are Increasingly Using Nonlethal Weapons on Civilians
The use of pepper ball rounds on anti-lockdown demonstrators by Victoria police in downtown Melbourne on several occasions over August 2021, marked an escalation in the law enforcement approach to public protest in this country. Released on 22 March, Lethal in Disguise...
Furious Driving Causing Injury
Furious driving causing injury Is an offence under section 53 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) which carries a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison. To establish the offence, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that: You drove...