Court finds Police Used Excessive Force on Aboriginal Man in Wheelchair
Judge Macdonald of the Darwin Magistrates’ Court found that Senior Constable Abbas used “clearly and obviously excessive, unreasonable and unlawful” force when he dragged Aboriginal man Mr Cebu from his wheelchair at the Palmerston markets.
Bullying and Online Safety: Your Legal Options in Australia
Bullying online or in person? Understand your legal options in Australia, from eSafety complaints to civil and criminal remedies.
Human Rights Behind Bars: The Duty to Protect Female Prisoners
Every person in custody retains basic human rights. Chief among them is the right to safety, dignity, and freedom from abuse. The recent $2 million lawsuit brought by Keli Lane against the NSW Government highlights how deeply these rights can be breached when systems fail to protect women behind bars.
Concerned about an elderly or vulnerable adult in your life? Contact the Adult Safeguarding Unit in South Australia
What You Need to Know About the Adult Safeguarding Unit in South Australia
SA Law Society Raises Concerns Over Youth Bail and Sentencing Reforms
The South Australian Government has introduced the Statutes Amendment (Recidivist Young Offenders) Bill 2025. Its stated aim is to address youth crime by targeting serious repeat offenders with tougher bail and sentencing measures. The Law Society of South Australia has voiced serious concerns about the scope, fairness and long-term consequences of the proposed laws.
SA Court of Appeal quashes conviction over the ‘rule against narrative’
In McClelland v The King [2025] SASCA 87, the South Australian Court of Appeal has overturned a rape conviction after finding a failure to direct the jury on an out-of-court statement left ‘obvious risks’ that the jury would ‘misuse the conversation’, to either bolster the complainant’s credibility (the ‘bolster rule’) or as evidence of uncharged acts.
SAPOL search powers expanded
As of 12 March 2025, new laws are in place in South Australia that expand the powers police have to search people for weapons — especially in public spaces, certain events and persons with certain histories.
Unfinished Business: ALRM’s Review of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
In July 2025, the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (ALRM) released its report Unfinished Business: A Review of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC).
2025 updated Knife and Weapons Laws in South Australia
Here are the 2025 updates to the knife and weapons laws in South Australia
![When “Inappropriate” Isn’t Always “Indecent”: Lessons from Police v Hill [2025] SASC 127](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67d4efd366c0dd37765b8d3d/1758182431311-6NYEY8AXOPUBYIQPA4EY/unsplash-image-sEUAJeFn5mE.jpg)
When “Inappropriate” Isn’t Always “Indecent”: Lessons from Police v Hill [2025] SASC 127
The Supreme Court of South Australia recently handed down their decision in Police v Hill [2025] SASC 127, which highlights the fine line between “inappropriate workplace behaviour” and what the law recognises as a criminal indecent assault.
NSW Coroner Calls for Better Prison–Family Communication After Mr. Brown’s Death
A recent coronial inquest into the tragic death in custody of 28-year-old Lathan Brown has highlighted a glaring failure in how NSW Correctional Services notified his family during his final hours.
Review into Legal Definition of “Terrorist Act”
The Australian Government has launched an independent review into how the law defines a terrorist act amid concerns about the radicalisation of young people and the rise of new, violent ideologies.
Then NSW police officers jailed for pepper-spraying, stomping and dragging woman during welfare check
Two former NSW Police officers pleaded guilty to multiple charges including assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company, common assault, and misusing a prohibited weapon.
New Laws to Better Protect Children in Workplaces
From 1 July 2025 it is a serious offence for registered child sex offenders to apply for or engage in any type of child-related work, including businesses where children are employed, such as fast food chains or supermarkets.