Racial Imbalance in the NSW Judiciary
On April 26 this year, Victorian attorney-general Martin Pakula announced the appointment of Urfa Masood to the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria. Ms Masood, who is of Sri Lankan background, began practising as a solicitor with the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service...
Overcoming the Bail Act’s ‘Show Cause’ Test
The Bail Amendment Bill 2014 introduced important changes to the existing bail regime in New South Wales. Most significantly, the amendments brought-in what are referred to as the ‘show cause’ provisions. The amended bail legislation, through the insertion of Section...
Oscar Pistorius – Six Years for Murder
According to local media, former South African Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius showed little emotion, but looked relieved, as the judge handed-down his sentence. But the decision has angered many and divided opinion about whether it is severe enough. Pistorius,...
Crime and Corruption in the Prison System
A guard in Western Australia’s Casuarina Prison faces a string of criminal charges for allegedly smuggling drugs and other contraband into the prison. 32-year-old Scott Craig Berridge is alleged to have smuggled drugs, mobile phones and alcohol to inmates at...
‘N-Bomb’ Linked to Deaths of Young Australians
On June 8, the body of Rye Hunt was found washed up on a beach in Marcia, just outside Rio. Tasmanian-born and bred, Rye was backpacking overseas with a mate. They’d been travelling for seven weeks and were amiable travelling...
Getting a Reduced Sentence for Providing Assistance
Where appropriate, criminal lawyers are required to advise clients that helping police with their inquiries may result in a reduced sentence. That said, lawyers are certainly permitted to explain the potential risks and requirements associated with giving assistance. For example,...
Bowraville Murder Case Re-Opened
The unsolved mystery of three children who went missing over a five-month period in 1990 and 1991 from the same street in Bowraville, Northern NSW, has divided a town, gripping a nation for more than two decades. But now, the...
Thinking of Using Your Phone’s Fingerprint Feature? Think Again!
Ever thought of using the fingerprint scanner of your smartphone? There’s no doubt it’s a handy, time-saving feature. But right now, it’s the subject of some interesting debate in court rooms across the United States, all to do with the...
Australian Government Shuts Journalists’ Mouths
World Press Freedom Day was celebrated on May 3, marking the 250th anniversary of the world’s first freedom of information law, which came into effect in Sweden and Finland. And just last year, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stated that the...
Tough Bail Laws Cause Rise in Imprisonment Rates
New statistics reveal that the adult prison population in NSW grew by a staggering 9% between April 2015 and March 2016, and is now sitting at a record high of 12,390 inmates. While overall crime rates in NSW have fallen,...
