Human Rights Abuses on Nauru
Nauru: It’s the world’s smallest island nation, but it’s been making headlines in Australia of late. The island is the site of an Australian-run detention centre, which houses approximately 1000 asylum seekers in tent-like facilities. Conditions at the centre have...
The ‘Gay Panic Defence’
Have you ever heard of the ‘homosexual advance defence’ or ‘gay panic defence’? How would you respond if you are a straight person and someone of the same gender made sexual advances towards you? There is obviously a difference between...
Should Wrongly Convicted People be Compensated?
Imagine that you’re wrongly convicted of a crime and sentenced to a term of imprisonment. After spending months, or even years, protesting your innocence while going through court proceedings, the prospect of being found guilty of a crime you did...
Illegal File-Sharing Club: The Implications of the iiNet Ruling
Have you ever illegally downloaded a movie, music file or software? If you’re among the estimated 29% of Australians who answered ‘yes’, you may be getting a nasty letter in the mail threatening legal action unless you pay the owners...
Becoming a Magistrate or Judge in NSW
Magistrates and judges preside over the courts in NSW and are responsible for making a wide range of decisions about various fields of law. Magistrates sit in the Local Court and are often responsible for presiding over a large number...
Helping Migrants Understand the Legal System
Migrants and refugees often come to Australia from war-torn and poverty-stricken countries in search of a better life for themselves and their families. Their birth countries may experience high levels of corruption, with police and government officials willing to turn...
Should Prisoners be Treated as Citizens? Cruelty & Corruption in Prison
Prisons are generally considered to be secure facilities which protect the wider community from those who are convicted of serious crimes. At the same time, they aim to ensure that inmates are adequately supervised and are supposed to promote rehabilitation...
Should Doctors Be Forced To Give Evidence Against You?
Trust and confidentiality are an important part of the doctor patient relationship, and many people assume that if they see a medical professional for a health or emotional issue, their records will not be shown to a third party for...
Can I be forced to testify against my family?
Receiving a subpoena to appear as a witness in court can be daunting. The experience can be even more stressful if you are called to testify against your loved-one. But there are laws that restrict the prosecution’s ability to force...
Do We Need a Domestic Violence Register?
In the lead-up to the NSW state election, Premier Mike Baird has proposed a statewide domestic violence register to record the names of people who have previously been convicted of domestic violence offences. The Premier made the announcement at the...
