News and resources

In a significant legal blow to environmentalists, in 2023 the Federal Court ruled that the federal environment minister does not have to consider climate change when approving coal mines. Environmental group claims minister did not consider climate change The Environment Council of Central Queensland (ECoCeQ) mounted a legal challenge to minister Tanya Plibersek’s assessment of […]

Did you know that only one person makes the decision in Australia to send troops to fight wars? That decision may be based on fear of imminent attack, in response to a request for support from an ally, a first strike against a perceived enemy, or perhaps just to keep a powerful ally on side. […]

A new law has recently come into force in NSW, making it a criminal offence punishable by up to 12 months in jail and/or a $11,000 fine to knowingly display a Nazi symbol in public without a reasonable excuse. If a corporation displays a Nazi symbol in public it could face a fine of $55,000. […]

Flower wholesaler B traded at the Sydney Flower Market in Flemington for many years up to 2002. In January 2003, wholesaler V acquired 50% of wholesaler B.

In 2013 a new company, jointly owned by B and V, commenced business and took over the market stalls previously operated by B. By 2018, the new company was operating ten market stalls.

It is not particularly well known that under the Australian constitution, the government has the power to grant what amounts to a royal pardon. Its official title is the royal prerogative of mercy, and it can be granted by the governor-general or state governor as the representative of the British monarch – Australia’s head of […]

In May 2021, in what was described as a worldwide landmark judgment, the Federal Court ruled that the minister for the environment had a duty of care to protect children from harm resulting from the impacts of climate change. However, the government succeeded in winning an appeal to the full bench of the Federal Court, […]

In January 2007, a tenant leased a 100-year-old hotel west of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.

The tenant paid a security deposit of $250,000 and the rent was $220,000 per year.

In December 2007, a new owner purchased the hotel for $1.6 million.

The tenant’s lease was due to expire on 3 July 2010.

Under tough new critical infrastructure legislation, anyone who refuses to allow Australia’s cybersecurity forces to access their business computers can be jailed for up to two years. Parliament recently passed amendments to the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018. This gives government authorities increased power to take action against those in the private sector who […]

The law and science do not always have a lot to do with each other, but sometimes they do intersect. An obvious current example is the intertwining of medical science and the law around the issue of compulsory Covid vaccinations. However, a rather less obvious intersection is becoming more evident: that of climate change risk […]

New Commonwealth legislation has extended police power and security agency authority, allowing them to secretly access personal computers and scrutinise the electronic accounts of any citizen deemed a suspect in serious criminal activities. The Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021 gives the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) […]

[Editor’s note: The law in NSW was changed in May 2022. Please see Wills and voluntary assisted dying (VAD) law in NSW.] Legalising voluntary euthanasia, or voluntary assisted dying, is a hot topic in New South Wales. A private member’s draft bill was recently introduced and parliamentary debate is set for later in 2021. NSW […]

The NSW government will be required to notify anyone affected by a cyberattack or data breach of its records, under planned changes to state privacy laws being introduced later in 2021. For the first time in any Australian state or territory, it will be compulsory for NSW government departments, state owned corporations and local councils […]

In what has been hailed as a worldwide landmark judgement, in May 2021 the Federal Court found the government has a duty of care to consider the impact of climate change on children before making environment-related decisions. The unusual case was brought by eight teenagers, aged 13 to 17, and an 86-year-old nun acting as […]

In 2019, Germany’s highest court ruled that a man convicted of murder in 1982 has the “right to be forgotten”, meaning his name can be removed from online search results. The man complained that although he had served 20 years behind bars for killing two people, he was still paying for the crime. He argued […]

For many years the families of “king-hit” victims have argued that this term conveys a false measure of admiration and implies manliness on the part of the attacker. Demands for a new phrase to describe such despicable one-punch surprise attacks have led to “king-hit” being replaced by the phrase “coward punch”, reflecting the cowardly act […]

In 2019, animal rights activist group Aussie Farms posted online maps of factory farms, slaughterhouses and so-called “animal exploitation” facilities around Australia. A registered charity, Aussie Farms claimed that it was trying to fight animal abuse and exploitation. Farmers targeted by animal rights activists Inviting other activists to upload photographs or videos obtained on farming […]

The rise of social media across the globe has opened a huge market for people wanting to make a living as a social media influencer. With the right knowledge, authority and reach, social media influencers have the ability to affect the purchase decisions of others, thus making them a very valuable marketing asset for many […]

Forgery has been prominent in the news over recent years, with the Banking Royal Commission revealing a number of instances where customers, bankers and advisors had forged signatures in order to achieve their desired, yet dishonest outcomes. While it’s well known that it’s wrong to forge a signature, it pays to understand the law around […]