With Courage: takeaways from the SA Royal Commission into Domestic, Family, & Sexual Violence
In August 2025, the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence handed down its final report, With Courage: South Australia’s vision beyond violence.
Then NSW Police Officer guilty of fabricating evidence; Man wins over $450,000 for wrongful imprisonment
The Supreme Court of NSW has awarded more than $450,000 in damages to Mr. Luke Moore, who was wrongfully jailed for three weeks as a result of a then NSW police officer’s false statement.
ASC rules strip searching female prisoner illegal breach of human rights
The ACT Supreme Court has determined that the human rights of an Aboriginal woman detained at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) were breached when she was subjected to two strip-searches in 2021. These searches were ruled to have violated the ACT Human Rights Act, affirming that even in custody, individual dignity must not be disregarded.
Bans on Working With Children to Be Decided Within 12 Months
The South Australian Government has announced that from next year, decisions on working with children bans must be made within 12 months of a charge being laid.
Justice Delayed: Mr Irving Wins Malicious Prosecution Case, 32 Years On
The Supreme Court of Queensland has awarded $130,000 in damages to Indigenous man Mr Terry Irving, more than three decades after he was first wrongfully charged by police.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) – Understanding the Law and Support Available
In South Australia, female genital mutilation is a serious criminal offence. The maximum penalty is 7 years in prison.
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
New SAPOL knife search laws allow police to use metal detectors in public places. Learn your rights and how these changes affect young people in SA.
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
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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.