Australia May See Its First Cyborg Rights Case
You might remember Meow-Ludo Disco Gamma Meow-Meow from his interview with Sydney Criminal Lawyers® earlier this year. In that interview, Meow talked about biohacking, a DIY movement aimed at democratising science. Biofoundry, the community lab Meow’s’s opened in Redfern, is...
Blasphemy is a Crime in NSW
Christianity has had a difficult year. Putting the Royal Commission on child sexual abuse and proceedings against Christian schools aside, atheists have officially knocked Catholics off their top spot as the country’s most followed belief system. The Census results are...
Peter Dutton: A Law Unto Himself
Former Solicitor-General Justin Gleeson has warned that Peter Dutton’s growing control over Australian deportation laws is removing important oversight mechanisms offered by the courts and parliament – threatening the separation of powers between the state and judiciary. Before last October,...
There is No Independent Oversight of Police in NSW
Police have been accused of using excessive force during a raid on a Sydney nightclub last weekend. According to some reports, partygoers at Club 77 were searched, thrown out and reportedly tasered during a raid on Saturday night. “One kid...
Australian Government Refuses to Defend Julian Assange
In 1987, a plucky, young lawyer from Sydney fronted the British press and rallied against the government’s censorship of free speech. The young lawyer’s argument? That former MI5 agent Peter Wright’s novel, ‘Spycatcher’, should be published because people had a...
Civil Rights and More: Our Guide to the Sydney Writers Festival
At a loss about what to do this weekend? Generally, you can’t beat a good book. Sadly the “one type of book that practically no one likes to read is a book about the law. Books about the law are...
Cardinal George Pell May Never Face Trial in Australia
Earlier this week, Victorian police confirmed they had received advice from the State’s Director of Public Prosecutions regarding historic allegations of child sexual assault against former-Sydney Archbishop George Pell. While police are yet to announce whether formal charges will be...
Woman Faces Prison for Giving Cannabis Oil to Sick People: An Interview with Jenny Hallam
If you ask the South Australian police what they think of Jenny Hallam, they’ll call her a criminal. Ask many others, and they’ll say she’s their angel. Ms Hallam, a marijuana reform activist, is facing up to 10 years in...
Government Lies About Metadata Scheme
As we all were preparing for the Easter break, the government switched on the full version of its metadata retention system. Although the legislation enabling the scheme was passed in October 2015 – and data has been stored and accessed...
Free Speech and Exposing Corruption: An Interview with Wendy Bacon
Wendy Bacon was just 23-years old when sentenced to eight days in prison and sent to Silverwater Remand and Reception Centre for her actions following the publication of a poem. Although she was later released, Wendy’s case became a defining...
