“We Won the Battle But the War Continues”: Opera House Cannabis Activists Zammitt and Stolk on Their Day in Court
For almost a decade now, cannabis activists Alec Zammitt and Will Stolk have been brightening the Sydney scene with their elaborate protest actions that employ guerilla theatre tactics to agitate for the legalisation and regulation of cannabis in this country....
Spain’s ‘MeToo Moment”: Sexual Touching or Blown Out of Proportion?
Unless you’re not into the world sport of football, or as we call in here in Australia, soccer, you’ll know Spain’s 1:0 win over England in the FIFA Women’s World Cup final was marred by controversy after the president of...
Barristers Propose Injecting Murderers with ‘Truth Serum’ to Locate Bodies
Two high profile barristers have caused controversy this week, suggesting that convicted murderers who refuse to tell authorities the location of the remains of their victims, should be forcibly injected with what is commonly known as ‘truth serum’. Former New...
Leg Sweep, Anyone? NSW Police Continues Reign of Excessive Force, Despite Rising Calls for Reform
A NSW police officer arrested an 18-year-old First Nations man with a disability on suspicion of two attempted break and enters last week. And as the officer walked his captor away, the teen dropped to the ground having a violent seizure,...
Doli Incapax and the Age of Criminal Responsibility in Australia
Just after 4pm on Thursday, 25 May 2023, emergency services responded to reports of a fire at a multi-storey building in Surry Hills, near Sydney’s central business district. More than 100 firefighters attended the scene but were unable to extinguish...
‘Mastermind’ of Australia’s Biggest Tax Fraud Receives Lengthy Prison Sentence
Adam Cranston, who was found to be one of the ‘masterminds’ behind Australia’s biggest tax fraud, has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars. Adam Cranston is the son of former deputy commissioner of the ATO, Michael Cranston. He appeared...
“I Hope It’s Overturned”: Former Magistrate Heilpern on Revoking of Drug Driving Mistake Defence
The drug driving regime in this state, as in the rest of the country, has always been controversial, as the testing model used, which ultimately sees people charged and lose their driver licence, doesn’t test for impairment levels, like drink...
Is Being of ‘Good Behaviour’ an Implied Condition of Bail in NSW?
Good behaviour bonds ordered by courts for those who plead guilty to, or are found guilty of, criminal offences in New South Wales will always require that the defendant be of “good behaviour”; in other words, not commit further crimes...
Brian Houston Found Not Guilty of Concealing Child Sexual Abuse
Hillsong Church Founder Brian Houston has been cleared of accusations he concealed child sexual offences committed by his father, Frank Houston, in the 1970s. Brian Houston, who is a long time friend of former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, was...
The Law, Penalties and Defences for Making Bestiality Pornography in NSW
A Queensland couple has been charged with engaging in a series of sexual acts involving dogs and capturing it on video. 37-year old Crystal May Hoare and 28-year old Jay Wade Veenstra, 28 are each charged with five counts of...
