Law Report

Exploring the unique challenges faced by justice systems in the Pacific region, including limited resources, geographical distances, and inadequate funding. Discusses the infrastructure and financial assistance provided to the Solomon Islands' courts by various countries. Highlights the importance of dialogue and connection among judges, resilience, and global community. Explores the role of the Federal Court of Australia in strengthening courts in the Pacific region. Discusses challenges of maintaining judicial independence in small communities.

In this podcast, Chief Justice Susan Kiefel shares her unconventional journey to the top judicial role, discusses women in the law, and her support for joint judgments. She reflects on her upbringing, leaving school at 15, facing discrimination as a female barrister, and the importance of family support. Chief Justice Kiefel also emphasizes the significance of consensus and collegiality in producing judgments, reflects on gender equality progress in the legal profession, and addresses the need to address sexual harassment and create respectful workplaces.

The podcast discusses the outcome of the Voice referendum in Australia and the introduction of legislation in Queensland to criminalize coercive control. It analyzes the voting patterns based on socioeconomic areas and explores the challenges in bringing constitutional changes. The lack of cooperation between state and federal court systems is highlighted, along with the process of amending the constitution in Australia. The aftermath of a referendum loss and its impact on government popularity is also examined.

In the lead-up to the referendum vote, the Law Report discusses the constitutional implications of the proposal for an Indigenous Voice to parliament. Also in the program, could pill testing of illicit drugs save lives? 

What recommendations does the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability make in its final report to the federal government? And, in a legal first, a South Australian woman has been sent to jail for impersonating a registered health practitioner. 

A patient in Australia became the first to donate organs after undergoing voluntary assisted dying. The podcast explores the legal and regulatory frameworks governing the process. It also covers topics like eligibility for voluntary assisted dying, creating a sensory-rich garden for a boy with autism, negotiating building modifications in a planning dispute, implications of planning disputes on human rights, and the inappropriate housing of children in watchhouses.

Exploring the upcoming constitutional referendum in Australia for an Indigenous voice to Parliament, the dynamics between government and advisory bodies in Scandinavia, the ongoing process of reconciliation and land rights acknowledgment in Scandinavia, the native title settlement between the Nungar people and southwest Western Australia, the potential impact on state and territory treaty processes if the voice to parliament constitutional referendum fails, and the factors that contribute to the success or failure of a referendum.

A Voice to parliament could see Indigenous knowledge and holistic approaches used to help close the gap. We hear from Indigenous leaders with different views.

Can you sue your Judge? "Mr Stradford", a father of two, has been awarded $300,000 in damages in recognition of the significant distress he experienced after he was wrongfully jailed by Federal Circuit Court Judge Salvatore Vasta.

If you knew that something illegal, dangerous, negligent or corrupt was happening in your workplace – what would you do? Who would you turn to for advice? A new report from the Human Rights Law Centre has found that there has not been a successful case brought by a whistleblower under the federal laws designed to protect employees speaking out about wrongdoing. They’ve now launched a new legal service to give  whistleblowers the support they need to navigate these laws.This week, we also look at the case of Bill Spedding, who will receive $1.8 million in damages for malicious prosecution. In dismissing an appeal by the State of NSW, three judges of the Supreme Court described what happened to the tradesman as the worst case of false and concocted allegations by police – they had ever seen.