News and resources

The act of interfering with a corpse by severing an ear and keeping it in the freezer was at the centre of a recent court battle over inheritance. The ear was secretly cut off the corpse before the funeral by the dead man’s brother, who hoped to prove the deceased did not have a biological […]

The Commonwealth Privacy Act has been amended to create a statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy (a tort is a non-criminal act of wrongdoing). The amendment postdated the 2024 Victorian County Court case of Waller v Barrett. It remains to be seen how higher courts will treat the case precedent, and more generally what […]

For what is believed to be the first time, a trans athlete has won a protracted court battle to enable an Apprehended Personal Violence Order (APVO) to be used to combat cyberbullying, as well as physical violence and abuse. Trans athlete targeted in cyberbullying campaign Sadly, cyberbullying is happening more and more, despite laws aimed […]

Jumping castle an attraction at school event Although more than three years have passed since the Tasmanian jumping castle accident, the tragedy is still fresh in our minds. On 16 December 2021 there was an event, the “Big Day In” at Hillcrest Public School in Devonport, on the north coast of Tasmania. The weather was […]

Unforeseen level of interest in legal aspects of photography A dozen years ago, an item was published on our website about the legal aspects of photography, When photos break the law – your rights when taking photos. It attracted an unforeseen level of interest, such that in 2019 a revised and updated version was published, […]

The NSW Supreme Court recently ruled that a school had failed in its legal duty of care for a 14-year-old boy after he suffered an unprovoked attack, even though it occurred outside school hours and beyond the school grounds. Student attacked outside school gate after end of school day The former Sydney schoolboy won $1.75 […]

A man who committed assault and battery against a speed camera operator was ordered by a court to pay his victim $401,265 in damages. Assault and battery due to mistaken belief The NSW District Court heard the unprovoked attack happened in a car park in the town of Oberon, when the attacker mistakenly decided that […]

Victorian government pays $8 million settlement to sexual abuse survivor Recent cases in Australia demonstrate that institutions can be vicariously liable for sexual abuse. In 2024 a survivor of sexual abuse by a teacher at a Melbourne primary school was awarded an $8 million settlement against the Victorian Education Department, in what is believed to […]

It is an offence to carry out “controlled activities” on waterfront land without an approval. This refers to construction work and also to clearing or depositing rocks, sand or plants. What is considered waterfront land? Waterfront land is defined as the bed of a waterway and the land 40 metres from the mean high bank. […]

Separation from a partner can be one of the most dangerous times for a woman in an abusive relationship, and the phenomenon of cyberstalking has increased the variety of ways an abuser can intimidate their former partner. Cyberstalking considered stalking under the law With the wide use and constant innovation of technology, it comes as […]

For the first time, 16-year-olds in Europe were allowed to vote in the June 2024 election for the European parliament, and they turned out in droves. Where can 16-year-olds vote? Sixteen-year-olds can vote in a number of countries, including Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Germany, Malta, Nicaragua and Scotland. Now there is a […]

In April 2024 the first person was charged under the new “post and boast” law in NSW, following its announcement in March 2024. The law makes it a crime to boast about committing a crime by filming the act and posting the video on social media. New tough youth crime laws for “post and boast” […]

Every year in Australia about 3,000 babies are born as a result of using sperm donors. But there is a shortage of donors, and fertility clinics and IVF providers have appealed for more sperm and egg donors. Laws concerning sperm donors have changed over the years According to the 2021 Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority […]

Many drivers are being caught by little-known NSW Road Rule 198, which makes it illegal to park in front of your own garage. NSW Road Rule 198 concerns blocking a footpath Under NSW Road Rule 198, motorists have been fined $283 if their car blocks or partially blocks a footpath, even when it is parked […]

Coercive control is a frequently hidden form of domestic abuse that includes physical, sexual, psychological, emotional and financial abuse of one individual by another. Figures show coercive control a significant problem The Bureau of Statistics figures on domestic abuse are shocking. One in four women and one in eight men have experienced domestic violence by […]

Surveys have found that half the population of Australia is confused about the new sexual consent laws and men in particular find it difficult to understand exactly when and how to ask for consent. Government campaign to explain legal requirements Now the federal government has launched a $40 million 12-month campaign across media to explain […]

The recent discovery of asbestos-contaminated mulch across Sydney has highlighted the fact that NSW’s existing environmental laws do little to protect our surroundings from environmental crime and fail to deter would-be offenders and polluters. New legislation increases penalties for environmental crime Put simply, the existing penalties for committing an environmental crime in NSW were shamefully […]

The words “cartel conduct” usually bring to mind violent international drug crime gangs. But cartels can also mean you pay more when you renovate, repair or build a home, buy a vehicle or just go shopping. Steep penalties for cartel conduct by two bin operators In February 2024, the Federal Court handed down a sentencing […]