Articles

The ability of police to force a person to unlock their phone has improved since the recent introduction of digital evidence access order legislation in New South Wales. This has extended police powers, allowing law enforcement to compel individuals to provide passcodes to electronic devices. The are hefty penalties including fines and imprisonment for a […]

What is the most common crime in each Victorian suburb? The crime rate in Victoria is rising. With this in mind, our criminal law specialists wanted to analyse the crime data from the last five years to discover the most common crimes across Victoria, as well as in each suburb, and to understand how crime […]

NSW Parliament recently passed anti-protest laws, in the form of amendments to existing legislation that govern the extent of protesting. The effect of these amendments has broadened the scope for criminality in the context of protesting, and conversely limited the right to protest in NSW. This is despite the right to protest being an integral […]

New vaping laws will be introduced from 1 October, with changes aimed at regulating the supply and manufacture of vapes. However, there has been criticism of the new reforms as well as the government’s ability to adequately enforce them. When are Vapes Getting Banned in Australia? Disposable vapes, whether they contain nicotine or not, have […]

The law requires all passengers to wear seat belts, with penalties for non-compliance. Despite this, 15% of road deaths in NSW involve not wearing a seatbelt, and nearly 10,000 fines are issued annually. NSW law mandates seat belt use for all vehicle occupants, with exemptions for certain drivers (e.g., reversing, medical conditions) and specific vehicles. […]

Is your neighbourhood getting safer? Despite the general picture painted, there has been a slight decrease in overall crime numbers in the past 5 years across New South Wales, according to the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR). Interestingly, crime in NSW is higher in regional NSW than in Sydney.  With this research we […]

Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) laws are now in place across Australia’s states and will soon be implemented in the ACT by November 2025. These laws allow terminally ill individuals to seek medical assistance to end their lives, provided they meet strict eligibility criteria. Each state has established safeguards to regulate the process rigorously. These include […]

In recent years there has been a noticeable rise in false AVO claims being made to Police as well as taken out privately. It will come as no surprise that having an apprehended violence order taken out against will cause significant stress to you and your loved ones. The conditions associated with an AVO can […]

New coercive control laws have been introduced in New South Wales to address non-physical forms of domestic abuse. The Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Act 2022 amends the Crimes Act 1900, creating a new offence of coercive control that came into effect on 1 July 2024. The aim of the new offence is to protect […]

Cyberbullying is a growing threat in today’s society. As more and more individuals join our rapidly expanding online world this threat becomes increasingly concerning. This article will examine what legal protections are offered in Australia against cyberbullying as well as possible consequences. What is Cyberbullying? Cyberbullying is the use of technology to intimidate, harass, stalk, […]