COVID-19: Is More Police the Answer?
According to the press release issued by the New South Wales minister for police and emergency services, David Elliott, these police officers will be “assigned to local stations and specialist commands over the next 12 months to protect communities and...
COVID Policing in Australia: An Interview With Liberty Victoria’s Michael Stanton
As the majority of Australians sit at home during the lockdown, we’re keenly aware that the reason we are isolating is to halt the spread of COVID-19. And as a nation, we’ve been very compliant. Indeed, some might say, this...
Homeless Man Imprisoned For Sleeping on a Park Bench
Dwayne Kennedy has finally been freed after two bail applications by his lawyers had been unsuccessful, forcing them to apply for an urgent Supreme Court Bail hearing. In releasing Mr Kennedy, Victorian Supreme Court Judge Stephen Kaye found that a...
The Offence of Failing to School Your Child
Many New South Wales residents have been critical of the state government’s decision to keep schools open during COVID-19, believing the risk of infection outweighs the benefits of formal schooling. But when may it be illegal not to send your...
“A Looming Humanitarian Crisis”, as Migrant Workers Are Left in the Cold
Unions NSW found that of the 3,700 migrant workers it surveyed across this state in early April, 46 percent had already lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty three percent were skipping meals, a quarter couldn’t pay their...
COVID-19: Australia Joins Calls for International Investigation
As COVID-19 continues to run rampant around the globe, and governments everywhere enforce lockdowns and self-distancing measures which will plunge the world into economic recession, Australia has joined calls for an international investigation into exactly where and how the virus...
No COVID-19 Uni Cuts: An Interview With Students Organising Resistance’s Shovan Bhattarai
The COVID-19 lockdown has resulted in a huge economic downturn for Australian universities caused by the closure of borders, the loss of international student revenue and the forced shutdown of campuses. Due to its heavy reliance on students from abroad...
Drunken Shooter Avoids Prison Due to COVID-19
On the afternoon of 2 January 2019, Rodney Madex and his daughter Tammy were drinking alcohol together in their Glengarry North home in the Gippsland region of Victoria. And into the evening, the pair had a number of minor disagreements....
Morrison Insists on Mobile Phone Tracing App Before Controls Can Be Eased
In his COVID-19 update on 16 April, prime minister Scott Morrison set out seven “precedent conditions” of a forward planning framework that if set in place could result in an easing of pandemic restrictions in four weeks’ time. The fifth...
“Bloody Reprehensible”: Gerry Georgatos on Perth Rough Sleepers During COVID-19
Right now, there’s around 1,000 rough sleepers in the wider Perth, Fremantle and Peel region. And despite the fact that the rest of the population is in lockdown, the majority of these homeless people are still out on the streets...
