Creating degrading deepfakes now a crime in SA
From 3 November 2025, South Australia has strengthened its criminal laws to tackle the misuse of artificial intelligence and digital technology to create offensive deepfake content. These reforms make it a criminal offence to generate or distribute humiliating, degrading, invasive or sexually explicit deepfake images or videos without consent — even when the content is created entirely using AI.
Systemic failures in “inhumane” youth detention facility leads to death of indigenous child, says WA Coroner
A WA Coroner has delivered damning findings into the 2023 death of 16 year old Cleveland Dodd, an Indigenous teenager who died while detained in a youth wing of an adult prison.
South Australia expands police search powers for high-risk missing persons
South Australia has enacted the Summary Offences (High Risk Missing Persons) Amendment Act 2025, introducing urgent search powers for police in serious missing persons cases.
South Australia Strengthens Legal Recognition of Carers in the Carers Recognition (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2025
South Australia has passed the Carers Recognition (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2025, modernising the Carers Recognition Act 2005 and strengthening how unpaid carers are recognised across government and the legal system. The Act also makes related amendments to key criminal and protective legislation, ensuring carers are properly recognised when people interact with police, courts and the justice system.
NSW Consent Laws now protect Sex Workers from Non-Paying Clients
NSW has updated its consent laws to include that where payment is a condition of consent (e.g. sex work), failing to pay can invalidate consent. The change will allow sex worker to report non-paying clients to police for sexual assault under the NSW criminal law.
December 2025 Update: Workplace Protection (Personal Violence) Act 2025 (SA)— Now Law in South Australia
The Workplace Protection (Personal Violence) Act 2025 came into effect on 4 December 2025, creating a new legal scheme to protect workers from violence, threats and abusive behaviour at work.
Closing the Justice Gap: Helping Australia’s “Missing Middle” Access Legal Help
Only 8% of households meet the income and asset tests for legal aid, meaning, concerning, that the "missing majority" are the nearly 40% of Australians living in poverty who are ineligible for legal aid but cannot afford private representation.
December 25’ Update: SA announces $674m Domestic Violence Response to Royal Commission
The South Australian Government has accepted 129 of the 136 recommendations made by Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence either fully, in principle or in part, and committed $674 million over 10 years to wide-ranging legal, policing and court reforms.
Saab “directly linked” to harm as their missile found on traditional land
A recent investigation has found that weapons maker Saab has been “directly linked” to harm after one of its missiles was discovered on traditional Aboriginal land at Lake Hart, near the Woomera Prohibited Area in South Australia.
Flinders University to lead national drive on prisoner reintegration with ARC Centre of Excellence
Flinders University has been awarded major funding to lead a national research effort on prisoner reintegration — aimed at reducing re-offending and improving long-term outcomes for people leaving prison.
Where to Next for Australia’s Modern Slavery Act
The Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) (MSA) came into force on 1 January 2019. In October this year, the government finished the first round of consultations to implement 25 of 30 recommendations following the 2023 independent statutory review led by Professor John McMillan AO. So what’s next for the MSA?
Law proposes to give AFP power to possess, share and use child abuse material
Victoria introduces bill to restrict NDAs in sexual harassment cases
The Restricting Non-Disclosure Agreements (Sexual Harassment at Work) Bill 2025 (Vic) was introduced to the Victorian Parliament on 29 October 2025, marking a major step toward transparency and fairness for victim-survivors in the workplace.
NSW: highest number of Indigenous deaths in custody ever recorded in a single year
In 2025, New South Wales has already seen 12 Indigenous people die while in custody, marking the highest number ever recorded in a single year.
State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan described the milestone as “profoundly distressing,” emphasising that these are not mere statistics but individual lives, and declared that each death “demands independent and careful scrutiny.”
ACT Expands Institutional Liability for Child Sexual Abuse
Disclaimer: This article discusses institutional child sexual abuse. If you or someone you know needs help visit the Bravehearts Support Services page for support or help accessing the National Redress Scheme.
Australia Proposes Expansion of ASIO Interrogation Powers
The federal government is moving to expand ASIO’s compulsory questioning powers. This raises serious concerns about civil liberties and legal protections.
New Queensland Law Limits Use of Character References for Sex Offenders
Queensland has changed the law on using good character references in sex offence cases. Here’s what it means for offenders, survivors, and the justice system.
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.
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.
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).