Australia: Crime

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Criminal law articles, thought leadership, podcasts, videos and webinars from expert sources across the legal world. Explore insights from the world of criminal law covering complex topics and rulings from specialists working in this sector.
Article
Permanent Pill Testing In NSW Music Festivals
New South Wales has announced a permanent pill testing service at music festivals, marking a significant policy shift from its previous enforcement-first approach to drug use. The service will operate at up to 15 festivals annually, offering free and anonymous drug checking backed by $4.3 million in funding. While the initiative follows a promising 12-month trial that showed reduced hospital presentations and meaningful behavioral changes, the program operates within a narrow framework that leaves criminal
Australia Criminal
CD
Criminal Defence Lawyers Australia
Article
When Is A Strip Search Legal In NSW?
Music festivals are high-energy and chaotic events with thousands of people in attendance – often involving alcohol and illicit drugs. For years, many young people in New South Wales were taken into tents and portable cubicles at music festivals for strip searches, told to remove their clothing, and made to squat, bend or lift body parts while police looked on. This process is obviously extremely demeaning, and forces people into extremely uncomfortable positions at the demand of authorities.
Australia Criminal
CD
Criminal Defence Lawyers Australia
Article
Political Hate Speech Laws In NSW
The Supreme Court of New South Wales recently refused to impose strict post-release supervision on a young man convicted of vandalism and arson, finding that his anti-Israel graffiti constituted political expression rather than antisemitic hate speech. This landmark judgment clarifies the legal boundaries between criticism of a foreign state and racial or religious hatred, while rejecting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism as too imprecise for Australian la
Australia Criminal
CD
Criminal Defence Lawyers Australia
Article
Victoria’s New Planning Enforcement Regime: Increased Penalties, Civil Proceedings And Court Powers
Victoria's planning enforcement regime has undergone significant transformation following the 2016 Corkman Irish Pub demolition scandal. The new legislative framework introduces unprecedented powers for courts and authorities, including commercial benefit orders, industry exclusion provisions, and civil penalties with lower burdens of proof. These reforms fundamentally reshape how planning violations are prosecuted and penalized across the state.
Australia Real Estate
HR
Holding Redlich
Article
Break And Enter Laws: Is It Legal To Forcibly Enter An Ex Partners Home After Moving Out?
The NSW government has proposed landmark reforms to close a legal loophole in break-and-enter laws that currently prevents prosecution of former partners who forcibly enter homes they have a legal interest in. The Crimes Amendment (Breaking and Entering Offences) Bill 2026 introduces new conditions specifically targeting intimate partner violence, requiring courts to determine whether an accused is an "occupant" based on factors like relationship status and prior agreements, while also mandating that a pers
Australia Criminal
CD
Criminal Defence Lawyers Australia
Article
Beyond Compliance: NSW Court Of Criminal Appeal Clarifies "Competent Manner" Obligations In Environment Protection Licences
The NSW Court of Criminal Appeal has confirmed that compliance with specific licence conditions is not a defence to a failure to act competently, however it remains relevant to whether activities were carried out properly and efficiently. The decision also reinforces the high bar for criminal liability, particularly where findings of incompetence turn on competing expert evidence.
Australia Environment
KL
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP
Article
Organised Crime Laws, Offences And Penalties In NSW
The NSW Government has introduced sweeping legislative reforms targeting organised crime and gang violence following a surge in shootings, kidnappings, and fire-bombings across Western Sydney. These new laws establish dedicated offences for "kill cars," impose harsher penalties for recruiting children into criminal activity, and strengthen provisions around public shootings and fire-bombing while explicitly incorporating organised crime considerations into bail decisions.
Australia Criminal
CD
Criminal Defence Lawyers Australia
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