News and resources

Farm injuries are unfortunately quite common – farming can be a dangerous occupation. Work on farms accounts for one in every five workplace deaths in NSW, with quad bikes, heavy vehicles, animal handling, biosecurity hazards, machinery, tree accidents and electrical work among the most common hazards. Farm injuries report demonstrates need for farm work safety […]

Adjusting your watch for daylight saving isn’t the only thing to remember when you cross the border from NSW to Queensland, or vice versa – particularly if you are involved in an accident. What you need to do in NSW and Queensland following an accident If you have a vehicle accident in NSW resulting in […]

NSW emergency service workers like paramedics, police and firefighters who want to claim workers compensation for a work-related injury or illness come under different laws and rules to other workers. Emergency service workers classified as “exempt workers” NSW police, paramedics and firefighters are classified as what are referred to as “exempt workers” and are not […]

Help! I’ve been hit by an unidentified vehicle. It didn’t stop and I didn’t get the number plate. I landed in hospital with severe injuries that will take a long time to heal – if ever. Can I still get compensation if I’m hit by an unidentified vehicle? I can’t identify the vehicle that hit […]

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” […]

Starting 1 October 2024, police insurance arrangements in NSW are changing. Police Blue Ribbon Insurance (PBRI) is being replaced by the Enhanced Police Support Scheme (EPSS), which introduces changes to Total and Permanent Disablement (TPD) coverage for officers. What is Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) insurance? TPD insurance is often included as default cover in […]

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 […]

The electric scooter is growing in popularity in Europe as a means of urban transport, and there has been pressure in Australia to allow them to be used on cycleways and selected public roads. In many European cities, a person can rent an e-scooter on the spot, ride it wherever they want to go, and […]

Are driverless cars safe? We know that driverless cars are coming. So imagine the future, when you get into your driverless car, set the controls to take you home, sit back and relax as the autonomous vehicle sets off down the road. You are in the driver’s seat, but your hands aren’t on the steering […]

Someone disappears. Years go by and they are still missing. There is no message, no letter, nothing to indicate whether they are still alive. No body is found. Families are in limbo. Can their partner legally remarry? When can the missing person legally be declared dead, their will enacted and their assets distributed? Can someone […]

Visit any city in Europe nowadays and you will be astonished at the number of electric scooters zipping around carrying one or even two people, at speeds up to 25 kph. Men and women in office clothing commute to work on them. Teenagers ride them to school. At night glammed-up folk scooter off to parties […]

Although automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology has been around for many years now, its use still catches many drivers unawares and leaves some questioning its “Big Brother” aspect. However, its importance in criminal investigations leaves little doubt as to its continued value for the community. How does ANPR technology work? Automatic number plate recognition […]

Often for tradies, an inescapable part of doing business – especially in the Sydney metropolitan area – is receiving fines for parking and related offences, and driving matters. However things are changing, and some tradies are learning the hard way about “full road-use recording of offences” – meaning, your business vehicle can have a criminal […]

In Australia, driving under the influence (DUI) and drug dealing are treated very seriously. It is interesting to learn about other countries’ criminal justice systems and the differences in penalties and sentencing for such crimes. Sometimes, despite stark differences in countries’ values, cultures and criminal systems, the sentences are similar, while at other times they […]

A ten year study of the insurance industry’s treatment of people has found systemic mental health discrimination that requires high-level investigation. The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has compiled a report on mental health discrimination in the insurance sector. It found people with a mental health history are often being denied insurance, or are offered […]

Motorist concerned about inaccurate GPS  I listened to a scenario involving an inaccurate GPS speed zone recognition system being discussed on radio recently. A motorist lives near Lemon Tree Passage in NSW. He has 20 kilometres to drive to a shopping centre near Raymond Terrace. There are about six speed zone changes within that distance. […]

Continuous yellow edge line covers many parking situations The vast majority of NSW motorists, who don’t have the time or access to the very voluminous Road Rules (New South Wales version), need to be aware of a fairly severe fine related to parking in many situations. That is because many parking scenarios are governed by […]