The Hayne trials highlight the legal minefield of pitting man against woman after an intimate encounter where consent, or lack of it, is the central issue.
Consent in sexual assault trials – Jarryd Hayne case explainer
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16 Reasons Why – When You Can Leave the House – corona virus restrictions
16 Reasons Why You're Allowed to Leave Home What a difference a few weeks make. In my last blog about the COVID-19 scenario, social distancing became the new norm, beaches were closed and the Federal government announced phase one restrictions. Since then, penalties...
*SEE UPDATED POST 5/4/20 * Brave new world – coronavirus – laws & penalties
I love going to the beach. A swim in the ocean is like meditation. It washes away some of life’s worries and brings calm and focus to my work-life juggle. Living & working in Sydney’s eastern suburbs means it’s an easy drive or walk to some of the world’s most...
Bushfires: what you need to know about Total Fire Bans and other fire facts
There’s nothing new about bushfires in Australia. But the experts say the latest outbreaks of fires raging around NSW (and Qld) are different - marked by their unprecedented unpredictability. In NSW, a ‘catastrophic’ fire warning was issued for the first time since...
Sydney man wins $112 thousand after unlawful police strip search
POLICE POWERS TO STRIP SEARCH (Image by Klaus Hausmann from Pixabay) Man wins $112 thousand after illegal strip search A Sydney man has been awarded $112 thousand dollars after an unlawful strip search by police.You can read the judgement here. In summary, 52-year-old...
The first 5 questions your criminal defence lawyer should ask
QUESTION 1: What’s the date and location that your matter is in court? This sounds like an obvious question but it’s important that your lawyer checks whether your matter has already been listed at court on an earlier date. If you have missed a court date, the court...
‘The Cry’ & Borce Ristevski – murder vs manslaughter
I’m not sure how I missed the gripping four part series ‘The Cry’. If you enjoy watching crime drama it’s must see TV (ABC iView) It’s adapted from the novel of the same name by Helen FitzGerald. *** SPOILER ALERT ***if you haven’t seen ‘The Cry’ watch it (or read the...
Pollies v Vegans – what are the penalties for the protestors?
The ‘crackdown’ The Prime Minister Scott Morrison has promised a crack down aimed at vegan protestors, to prevent them advertising target locations on the internet. Under the new laws, anyone who incites protests online could face up to 12 months gaol.The law the PM’s...
Do Australians have a right to protest?
In Australia there’s no specific law that enshrines the right to protest. However, Australia is a party to a number of international human rights treaties that contain the right to ‘peaceful assembly’. The right to peaceful assembly protects the right of individuals...
The ice ‘epidemic’ – what if I’m caught with ice?
While much of the recent debate about drugs has centred on pill testing of ecstasy, ice continues to be a growing problem in the Australian community. A new inquiry into the use and impact of the drug ice began in NSW in March, prompted by the surge of ice-related...
National paedophile register
Australians will soon be able to see whether paedophiles live in their neighbourhood after $7.8 million dollars was allocated to establish a National Public Register of Child Sex Offenders in this week’s Federal Budget. The government says it hopes the list will...
Gun laws
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has received world-wide praise for her response to the Christchurch massacres, including the introduction of new gun control laws. The new laws will include bans on military style semi-automatics and assault rifles, the kind...