Is Torture Ever Justifiable?
Jakob von Metzler, an eleven-year-old German boy, vanished one afternoon on his way home from school. He was supposed to leave with his family for a holiday the next day, but he had been kidnapped by a man who later...
Two Arrested in Latest Sydney Anti-Terrorism Raids
Police recently arrested two men in the latest spate of anti-terrorism raids across Sydney. Omar Al Kutebi and Mohammad Kiad, both aged in their mid-twenties, were each charged with undertaking acts in preparation or planning for a terrorist attack. It...
Preventative Detention Orders: A Decade of Concerns
Being held in custody without charge is against the law in Australia except under very specific circumstances. But controversial laws that have been in place for almost a decade allow police to arrest a person under what is known as...
Should Local Terrorism Victims Be Compensated?
Australians who have fallen victim to acts of terrorism overseas are entitled to compensation from the federal government, while those who are victims of attacks on home soil are not, an anomaly which has led to calls for the federal...
Should Returning Terrorism Suspects be Forced to Wear Tracking Devices?
It has been suggested terrorism suspects returning from overseas terrorist hot-spots should be forced to wear tracking devices for at least two years if they remain in the community when they return to Australia. Fitting such a device on an...
The Perceived Link Between Islam and Terrorism: Misinformation and Media-Fuelled Hysteria
What comes to your mind when you hear the word “terrorist”? For many, the word ‘terrorist’ conjures up images of balaclava-wearing Muslim extremists carrying assault rifles and flags bearing Arabic writing. It’s a stereotype that has been fostered in part...
What Should Australia Do With Jihadists Who Want to Return Home?
Newspaper headlines in late 2014 mocked jihadis who indicated a desire to return to Australia after realising that the lifestyle was a lot harder than expected. After their iPods broke, the weather got colder and the living conditions got harsher,...
Should ASIO be Monitored to Protect the Community Against the Misuse of it’s New Powers?
The Abbott government’s recent crackdown on terrorism has prompted amendments to national security legislation, giving ASIO broad powers to monitor citizens and rendering them immune from prosecution in certain circumstances. Understandably, the amendments have left many questioning the extent of...
Police Listening to Phone Calls between Lawyers and Clients – The Erosion of Client Legal Privilege
Legal professional privilege, known in NSW as ‘client legal privilege’, has long been accepted as a central tenet of the justice system; providing that communications between lawyers and their clients should be exempt from disclosure. The privilege has been described...
Sydney Siege – How Was It Allowed to Happen?
The Sydney Siege has raised more questions than it has answered. If Man Haron Monis had survived Monday’s heinous crime, the charges he could have faced may have included detain for advantage, kidnapping, weapons charges, terrorism, murder - and the...
