Sexual harassment in the workplace
Sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination and workplace misconduct are all topics that are very difficult to ignore right now, particularly with the recent release of the Set the Standard report, the result of an extensive inquiry into the culture at Parliament House and it’s associated workplaces. The inquiry was one of several ordered by the Prime […]
Online dating? Make sure you take appropriate precautions and stay safe
A man from Wyong on the NSW Central Coast has been arrested and charged with the alleged sexual assault of two women he met on the dating app Tinder. Police investigations are continuing, but the man has been charged with four counts of sexually touching another person without consent. He has been refused bail and […]
New study shows police presence at music festivals can lead to drug overdoses
A new survey — purported to be the largest of its kind — suggests that a strong police presence at music festivals is a key factor in people ‘loading up’, that is taking all their drugs before entering festival gates, which can have serious consequences, potentially leading to illness and in some cases even death. […]
Class Action launched by attendees of Splendour in the Grass
A class action lawsuit has been launched for people who believe they were illegally strip searched by New South Wales Police at Byron Bay’’s iconic music festival Splendour in the Grass in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The class action is the result of an inquiry conducted by the police watchdog, the Law Enforcement Conduct […]
Mobile phones and driving – know the rules
Most of us know by now that touching or holding a mobile phone while driving in Australia is strictly prohibited. Your mobile phone must be connected to your car via Bluetooth or in an approved, securely mounted cradle so it’s hands-free. For L-Platers and P-Platers, phones are not to be used at all while driving. […]
Children as young as 10 can be held criminally responsible. Is that too young?
In Australia, children as young as ten can be held criminally responsible if they break the laws. Recently, all of the State Attorneys-General agreed to consider raising this age as Australia faces increasing international pressure to keep children and teens out of prison. Last week Greens Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) David Shoebridge went […]
What is the offence of Child Abduction in New South Wales?
People around Australia let out a collective sigh of relief this week, some even shed a tear, at the very happy news that 4-year old Cleo Smith was found by Western Australian Police and had been reunited with her family. The little girl was taken from her parents’ tent in early hours of the morning […]
Drug policy is changing for the better in New South Wales
Recently the New South Wales Government has mooted that it’s considering making changes to drug policy and drug laws, to give some drug users ‘second chances’. This is really good news. Traditionally, the New South Wales Government has taken a hardline punitive approach to offences relating to drug use and drug possession. Currently, under Section […]
Unvaccinated? – New Covid-19 health regulations you need to know
Greater Sydney opened up this week having reached a milestone of 80% Covid-19 vaccination rates. And this is good news, not just for those in the city who’ve endured 15 weeks of lockdown, but for the rest of New South Wales too, because it means we can start to move forward again. Part of the […]
Enjoy Halloween without breaking any laws
Halloween just seems to get bigger and brighter and most families say it’s a great annual community-oriented activity that brings neighbourhoods together. While it’s important to have fun, it’s also important to stay safe, and obey the laws! Be Covid-Safe Covid-19 hasn’t cancelled Halloween, but NSW Health has released some information and made some recommendations […]
Do you have a licence for your Gel Blaster?
BB Guns, Gel Blasters and Air Rifles are popular gifts for teenagers around the Northern Rivers region, especially for those young people who live on rural properties and have toads and rats and other vermin to shoot at, along with plenty of space to do so. And, when used responsibly, they can be good fun. […]
What happens in the Children’s Court?
The Children’s Court deals with cases involving children and young people It hears the cases relating to: The care and protection of children and young people, under 18 years of age. Criminal offences involving young people who were under 18 years at the time of the alleged offence, including breaches of parole and release on […]
Property offences in New South Wales
Causing damage to another person’s property is a criminal offence in New South Wales. Offences relating to property damage are outlined in the New South Wales Crimes Act NSW 1900, the most common property offences are: Threatening To Destroy Or Damage Property In New South Wales, if a person threatens to destroy or damage property […]
The long term effects of a criminal conviction
A lot of people mistakenly believe that criminal convictions are only given for serious criminal offences such as assault and murder, not realising that you can have a conviction entered against you for an offence such as negligent driving or possessing a tiny amount of drugs. Then, once you have a criminal conviction, you need […]
What are the penalties for failing to check-in at venues?
Byron Bay and Tweed Heads were plunged into lockdown again earlier this week after a Covid-infected reality TV show crew member flew into Ballina from Sydney, wandered through some shops and had a long meet up at the Kingscliff Pub. The woman, who is fully vaccinated, had been granted permission to leave her home in […]
Are you allowed to protest in New South Wales?
Last week 150 people were arrested and hundreds more were handed public health infringement notices for taking part in demonstrations outside local council chambers across the state. There were 79 separate protests against extended lockdowns in Ballina, Grafton, Lismore, Port Macquarie, and also further south in regional areas around Sydney. In Australia we have long […]
Cyclists and the law – do you really know the road rules?
As lockdowns continue across New South Wales, many people are dusting off their bicycles to exercise. Certainly, here in the Northern Rivers, particularly around Brunswick Heads, Byron Bay, Lennox and Ballina, cycling is a really popular way to get around. However, cyclists, like motorists, have responsibilities when using the road and there’s harsh penalties for […]
The pros & cons of legalising marijuana in New South Wales
Earlier this year New South Wales Greens Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Cate Faehrmann introduced a bill into NSW State Parliament that aims to decriminalise cannabis for personal use. The bill makes provisions for home growing and also for establishing a regulated, legal retail market. Importantly, it also creates criminal offences for selling to […]
Covid lockdown rules for northern NSW
From Coffs to Tweed – the North coast covid lockdown — new rules and penalties you need to know Just as we were hoping the imposed lockdown would end and we could return to ‘some sense of normalcy’, over the weekend the NSW Government ordered a snap seven-day lockdown of the entire state. There are […]
Tweed Heads Drink Driving Charges
Tweed Heads – Border Town Dilemma Drink Driving Charges Tweed Heads is a picturesque border town that not only struggles with the biannual daylight savings shifts in time but residents and holidays goers are often in the dilemma of considerably different drink driving charges and convictions between NSW and Queensland. In New South Wales, it’s […]
