Royal Commissions: The Rules Regarding Evidence and How Can It Be Used
The final report of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme made 57 recommendations to the Federal Government and included a secret sealed section which holds the names of several individuals to be considered for further investigation and potential prosecution...
Working With Children: Should Better Checks Be Undertaken?
Parents around Australia are reeling from the news that the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has charged a former childcare worker from the Gold Coast in Queensland with more than 1600 child sexual offences against 91 children both in Australia and...
Laws Relating to Driving Conduct that Causes Grievous Bodily Harm in NSW
The driver accused of being responsible for causing the deaths of 10 wedding attendees and the hospitalisation of 20 more by losing control of a bus in the Hunter Valley is facing dozens of additional charges for major traffic offences....
Should Uniform Affirmative Consent Laws Be Enacted Across Australia?
Victoria is the latest jurisdiction to introduce affirmative sexual consent laws, becoming the third Australian jurisdiction to enact laws which require those who participate in sexual activity to take positive steps to ensure the other party or parties are consenting....
United States Strips Military Commanders of Prosecutorial Powers
United States President Joe Biden has ordered an historic change to the way serious crimes such as sexual assaults and murders that are allegedly committed by defence personnel are dealt with, transferring prosecutorial powers from commanders to an independent body...
Community Correction Orders: Diverting Offenders Away from the Criminal Justice System
Tim Mathieson, who is perhaps best known as the “first bloke” for being the partner of Julia Gillard when she was prime minister, has pleaded guilty to a sexual offence in Victoria. The 66-year old appeared before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court...
Fraud Enabled by MyGov ‘Security Gap’ Costs Australian Taxpayers $500 Million
The Federal Government’s PR department has gone into overdrive this week, boasting about how it is drafting National Digital Identification legislation which it claims will safely and securely use the personal data of millions of Australians to streamline access to...
For the First Time, an Indigenous Woman Has Been Appointed as an Australian Supreme Court Judge
Louise Taylor has been appointed as a judge to the Supreme Court in the Australian Capital Territory, making her the first Indigenous woman to be appointed to a Supreme Court in Australia. Ms Taylor’s appointment is an historic moment for...
NSW Police Propose ‘Domestic Violence Diary’ App for Complainants to Record and Log Abuse
The NSW Police Force has recently unveiled an app they say is designed to assist victims to combat domestic violence by recording and logging alleged abuse, but there are concerns about whether this would make any real difference as well...
The Offence of Using a Carriage Service to Procure a Child Under 16 for Sexual Activity
The deputy principal at a high school in Sydney’s south-west has been sentenced to more than three and a half years behind bars for sexting who he believed to be a 14-year old girl. Damian Wanstall’s LinkedIn profile hasn’t been...