Law Report
Episodes
Lawyers 'pressure test' Indigenous voice proposal; how should judges be appointed?
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What do Australia's leading lawyers think about the Federal Government's plan to enshrine a First Nations' voice to parliament in the constitution? T...
Does the Government's proposed anti-corruption legislation go far enough?
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Does the Federal Government's draft legislation for a national anti-corruption commission go far enough? And retired UK Supreme Court judge Lord Jona...
Police body cameras in domestic violence incidents
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When police are called out to a domestic violence incident, do officers' body-worn video cameras always capture an accurate and complete record of w...
Fears states could expand use of 'post-sentence' detention after Garlett ruling
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The High Court has upheld the constitutional validity of West Australian legislation that allows prisoners to be held in indefinite detention if a ju...
The Queen's role in Australia's constitution
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A look at the legal and constitutional role of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. And the Commonwealth Ombudsman Iain Anderson discusses the expected vis...
Judicial review to examine 'Croatian Six' convictions
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The New South Wales Supreme Court has ordered a judicial review into the convictions of the so-called 'Croatian Six'. Justice Robertson Wright said t...
Chris Dawson trial: former teacher found guilty of wife's murder
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
New South Wales Supreme Court Justice Ian Harrison has found former teacher Christopher Dawson guilty of murdering his wife Lynette, who disappeared ...
Government releases legal advice on Morrison's secret ministerial appointments
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Federal Government has released legal advice from the Solicitor General regarding the former prime minister Scott Morrison's move to secretly app...
High Court rejects activists' challenge to NSW surveillance laws, and women bring prison stories to the stage
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Should activist groups be allowed to use secretly filmed footage to expose the treatment of animals at farms and abattoirs? And Somebody's Daughter t...
Life, death and the law
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When parents and doctors disagree, how do courts decide whether to withdraw life support from a hospitalised child? The creation of a federal judicia...
Legal decisions and analytics
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Should researchers collect and publish statistics which reveal how judges and tribunal members decide refugee cases? Is this a way of understanding l...
Who should be held legally liable for accidents involving e-scooters?
26 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Electric scooters are becoming an increasingly popular form of transport, but there is a confusing mosaic of laws that regulate their use across Aust...
Queensland bans 'claim farming'; should media coverage affect sentencing decisions?
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Queensland has introduced laws to crack down on 'claim farming', a practice where members of the public are contacted and encouraged to make compensa...
Vanuatu's push for international court action on climate change
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The small Pacific island nation of Vanuatu is behind a campaign to raise the issue of climate change before the International Court of Justice. And h...
Victoria's Nazi swastika law prompts call for national ban
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An in-depth look at Victoria's law to ban the public display of the Nazi swastika amid calls for the Federal Government to legislate a national ban o...
Attorney General Mark Dreyfus speaks to the Law Report
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Reforming the Public Interest Disclosure Act "is a significant matter because it is linked to the national anti-corruption commission that we hope to...
Can machines invent, and animals create?
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Should we grant patents to Artificial Intelligence algorithms? Should machines have copyright over the art works they generate? What about animals? ...
High Court curbs minister's citizenship powers, and landmark ruling on unpaid wages
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The High Court has ruled that a decision by the former Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews to rescind the citizenship of an Australian man suspected ...
Judge v jury trials
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why did actor Johnny Depp's defamation case against his former wife Amber Heard succeed in the US after failing at a similar trial in the UK? And a m...
Fiji environmental crime verdict 'sets precedent'
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Freesoul Real Estate has days to appeal a ground-breaking fine imposed by Fiji's High Court after the Chinese resort developer carried out unauthoris...
Radio on the inside
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The world's only nationwide in-house prison network broadcasts 24 hours a day and is produced by and for inmates.
When is a de facto relationship over?
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A High Court decision raises questions about how a de facto relationship is defined, and what happens when a person’s mental capacities decline wit...
Fears US Supreme Court will overturn Roe v Wade after draft opinion leaked
10 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The publication of a leaked draft opinion by conservative judge Samuel Alito has sparked fears the United States Supreme Court could overturn a landm...
Russia accuses NATO of 'proxy war' in Ukraine, and juror misconduct
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Does NATO’s increasing military support for Ukraine amount to waging “a proxy war against Russia”? And the High Court has overturned a number o...
Employer liability for psychiatric injury
26 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When is an employer liable for psychiatric injury sustained in the workplace?
Why gender diversity on the bench is important
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the second of a two-part series, the Law Report speaks with members of the International Association of Women Judges in several countries. They ex...
How Afghan women judges found safety in Australia
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the first of a two-part series on women judges, the Law Report introduces judge Shakila Abawi Shigarf, who was forced to flee Afghanistan when the...
Cheng Lei awaits China trial verdict, and Vic court rules on wind farm noise
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The national security trial of Australian journalist Cheng Lei in China. And two Victorian farmers have won a legal battle over noise pollution again...
'Predatory lending', and supporting Indigenous people in NT watch houses
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The High Court has ruled that a lender engaged in 'unconscionable conduct' by approving an asset-based loan to an unemployed man. And a look at how t...
Gathering evidence of possible war crimes in Ukraine
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A former war crimes judge and prosecutor explains the challenges of collecting evidence in a conflict zone. And the humanitarian crisis spreading bey...
The legal needs of flood victims, and Kumanjayi Walker murder trial aquittal
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Severe flooding in New South Wales and Queensland has created a range of tenancy and insurance issues for people in affected areas. And a view from i...
Ukraine: how clear are the laws of war? And women's rights to inherit land
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the war in Ukraine escalates, what does international law say about humanitarian corridors, civilian combatants and prisoners of war? And why doze...
ICC to launch Ukraine war crimes probe, and NSW Chief Justice Tom Bathurst retires
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the International Criminal Court announces plans to investigate possible war crimes in Ukraine, what help can the country expect from internationa...
Sandy Hook settlement, and pets in family law disputes
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Could a US$73 million settlement for relatives of the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre open the door for other lawsuits against US gun manufacturers? ...
High Court rulings clarify contract worker status
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The High Court has delivered two judgments that help clarify the legal distinction between the status of a contract worker and a employee, with poten...
Are Australia's political donation laws fit for purpose?
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Australian Electoral Commission has revealed that 10 donors account for a quarter of donations made to the country's political parties in the 202...
When does misrepresenting professional experience become a criminal offence?
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When does inflating professional skills and experience cross a line to become a criminal offence?
Deporting Djokovic, and Catholic diocese found vicariously liable in historical child sex abuse case
25 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Federal Government's move to deport Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic from Australia has highlighted the scope of discretionary powers held by...
Crime and justice in the Torres Strait, and Cape York’s Licensing Muster program
18 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
According to a study which explores how the Torres Strait's unique culture, geography and colonial experience has shaped the current crime and justic...
Inside Thomas Embling Hospital, a forensic health facility
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For the first time a journalist is allowed to record in the Thomas Embling Hospital, Melbourne's Forensic healthcare facility. Meet therapists, the p...
Court rules couples can conspire, and how brain implants might transform criminal law
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The High Court of Australia rules that a married couple can conspire to commit a crime. Also, the challenges posed by emerging neurotechnologies.
How itchy underpants created Australia's consumer laws
28 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If a consumer is injured by a faulty product, they can sue the manufacturer. In Australia, The law of Negligence or Torts forms a fundamental buildin...
'Squatters' rights', and UK health laws
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Law Report revisits a New South Wales Supreme Court ruling against a retirement village developer that claimed ‘squatters' rights’, or advers...
US trademark dispute threatens ugg boot business, and deportation fears for returned prison escapee
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A Sydney ugg boot maker says his 40-year-old business is at risk of bankruptcy following a trademark dispute in the United States courts. And can Aus...
Sue Neill-Fraser loses appeal against murder conviction
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tasmanian woman Sue Neill-Fraser's latest appeal has failed to overturn her murder conviction for the death of Bob Chappell, her former...
Could AI help make the law more accessible for disabled people?
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Could ‘chatbots’, a form of artificial intelligence technology, help make the legal system more accessible for people living with disabilities? ...
'Body modification' on trial
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In a precedent-setting case, a New South Wales judge has found self-proclaimed extreme body modification artist Brendan Leigh Russell guilty of femal...
Adriana Rivas mounts new appeal against Chile extradition
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Should Sydney woman Adriana Rivas, who is accused of being a Pinochet-era intelligence agent, be extradited to Chile over alleged crimes against huma...
Reforming NSW sexual consent laws
09 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What impact could proposed changes to New South Wales consent laws have in delivering justice to victims and survivors of sexual assault?
UK legal action over rugby league players’ brain injury, and deciding judicial recusals in Australian courts
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Australia’s football codes are closely monitoring a class action brought by former rugby league players in Britain who allege the sport’s governi...
Assange extradition appeal, WikiLeaks and journalism
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Britain’s High Court is set to hear the United States government's appeal against a ruling blocking the extradition of Julian Assange on mental hea...
Climate science dismissal case sparks academic freedom debate, High Court quashes Palmer $30bn WA compensation challenge
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A long-running unfair dismissal case involving Queensland university professor Peter Ridd has sparked intense debate around questions of academic fre...
Judicial impartiality, and court disclosure obligations for electronic evidence
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Should judges have social contact with lawyers who appear before them in court? The Australian Law Reform Commission is conducting an inquiry into ju...
'Squatters' rights', and UK health laws
05 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The New South Wales Supreme Court has ruled against a retirement village developer claiming ‘squatters' rights’, or adverse possession, over a Sy...
Regulating Covid-19 misinformation and social media influencers
28 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What do the federal politician Craig Kelly, anaesthetist Dr Paul Oosterhuis, celebrity chef Pete Evans and clothing brand Lorna Jane have in common? ...
Britain’s offshore detention plans, and investigating human rights violations
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Britain seeks to overhaul immigration laws as asylum seekers and migrants continue to arrive across the English Channel from France. How to investi...
Media impact of High Court defamation ruling, and NT youth bail laws
14 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How could the High Court media defamation ruling affect social media use? And are changes to Northern Territory youth bail laws fit for purpose?
How does Australia’s Covid-19 vaccine injury scheme compare to compensation programs abroad?
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Commonwealth-funded No Fault Covid-19 Indemnity Scheme aims to compensate for medical expenses and loss of income resulting from an adverse react...
Passenger injured in stolen car denied compensation and Covid-19 death ruled workplace injury
31 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Should compensation be denied to a passenger in a stolen vehicle who was seriously injured when it crashed? And a New South Wales Tribunal has ruled ...
What future for Afghanistan after Taliban return?
24 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What will the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan mean for women and human rights?
Victorian tenant evicted after COVID19 moratorium ends. Also, can you sue over negative online reviews?
17 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal has found that landlords can evict tenants for non-payment of rent during the big Victorian lockdown ...
Balancing individual and community rights in a pandemic
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As the COVID19 pandemic grips NSW, how do we balance the rights of an individual with those of the broader community? And the Victorian Ombudsman has...
WA Parliament debates new child protection laws
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the WA parliament is debating new child protection legislation. Meanwhile a program called Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making is bein...
Covid19 vaccination litigation in the US and transporting jurors virtually to the scene of the crime
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the USA there is a growing number of legal disputes involving employees, consumers and university students who are challenging mandatory vaccinati...
Proceeds of crime
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you earn a million dollars from selling drugs and are convicted under proceeds of crime legislation, you don’t get to keep it. But what if that...
Climate change litigation
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Climate change is increasingly being raised in courtrooms around the world. The latest was brought by eight Australian school students and a nun who...
Bougainville independence talks underway. And are judges too lenient when sentencing sex offenders?
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Could we soon see the creation of a brand new country immediately to Australia's north? PNG's Prime Minister and the President of the Autonomous Bou...
Overwhelming support for constitutionally enshrined indigenous voice
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Uluru Statement from the Heart called for a constitutionally enshrined indigenous voice to parliament. In response, the federal government create...
Witness K and the public interest
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Can revealing Australia’s security operations ever be in the public interest? A former spy, Witness K received a three-month suspended sentence for...
Crime and Justice in the Torres Strait and Cape York’s Licensing Muster program
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Torres Strait's low crime rate, the Muster program
Vaccine passports and global snapshot of LGBTQI discrimination
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some countries and states have introduced a Vaccine Passport, to allow more domestic and international movement and businesses to return. What are th...
Porter v ABC and AGL v Greenpeace
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Former Attorney General Christian Porter has discontinued his defamation litigation against the ABC. And power company AGL is taking Greenpeace to co...
Victoria's Yoo-rrook Justice Commission and new research on Magistrate stress levels
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We speak to the Chair and one of other the four commissioners who will preside over Victoria's ground breaking Yoo-rrook or Justice Commission. And n...
Improving the justice system for sexual assault survivors
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Many victim survivors of sexual assault say they found giving evidence at trial a harrowing and re-traumatising experience. The Victorian Law Reform ...
Federal Court rejects challenge to India travel ban. And rugby's no fault standdown rule [Updated audio]
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Federal Court dismissed a challenge to the Morrison government's ban on Australian citizens returning from India. Justice Thawley ruled that the ...
Drug driving truckies and outraging public decency
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mohinder Singh, the truck driver responsible for the deaths of four Victorian police officers has been sentenced to a non parole period of 18 years. ...
Australia's whistle-blower protection laws. And is it time for a vaccine injury compensation scheme?
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Australia's whistle-blower laws will be in the spotlight when a long-running, high-profile prosecution involving former ATO officer Richard Boyle com...
Court rules couples can conspire and how brain implants might transform criminal law
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The High Court of Australia rules that a married couple can conspire to commit a crime. Also, the challenges posed by emerging neuro technologies.
The findings of two significant Coronial Inquests
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
NSW State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan has found that the murders of teenagers Jack and Jennifer Edwards by their father were preventable. The Coroner...
Full decriminalisation of sex work on the cards in Victoria
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Victorian government is set to consider fully decriminalising sex work this year. Guest producer Carly Godden traces how, over the eras, the law ...
Christian Porter no longer Attorney General. And eminent scientists petition for release of convicted killer Kathleen Folbigg
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On advice from the Solicitor-General, the PM shifts Christian Porter to Minister for Industry, Science and Technology. And following the NSW Court of...
Inside Thomas Embling Hospital, a Forensic health facility
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For the first time a journalist is allowed to record in the Thomas Embling Hospital, Melbourne's Forensic healthcare facility. Meet therapists, the p...