A number of hefty fines have now been introduced by NSW to further discourage retailers and others from selling vaping items containing nicotine after a number of young people have been found to have taken up the habit and be in possession of the nicotine products despite the laws which were designed to prevent them […]

This article is for general information only and should not be relied on for specific legal advice.  The author will not be held responsible for any action that a person takes as a result of interpretation of the contents of this article.  It is important to seek specific advice from a qualified and experienced lawyer […]

An unidentified diver was found unconscious on the banks of the Hunter River at Newcastle harbour on Monday morning at approximately 9:30am. Paramedics and members of the public couldn’t revive him when he was located. In his immediate vicinity were a number of packages of a white powder which Police suspect to be cocaine. His […]

For the past 12 months Queensland police have been trialling using metal detectors to locate knifes and other weapons carried by individuals in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach. Since the trial began, 133 concealed weapons have been uncovered leading to the charge of 106 weapon offences.  The trial was initiated as a result of a series […]

A police investigation is underway, and charges have been laid following an incident in a Burleigh Heads public bathroom on Monday morning. It is alleged that at approximately 5:40am on Monday morning the 43-year-old victim has entered into a stall in the public bathroom. He is alleged to have been followed into the stall by […]

Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, a Malaysian national with learning disabilities, convicted of trafficking just 42.7 grammes of heroine in 2010, has been executed in Singapore.  In 2009, Mr Dharmalingam, who has an IQ of 69, said he was coerced into trafficking the heroin as a way to pay off his debts. He said the debts were accumulated […]

On Tuesday in the Supreme Court in Burnie a 28-year-old past female cleaner from a Tasmanian school’s sentence began after she was charged with sexually abusing a 13-year-old male student. Their relationship is estimated to have lasted for over four months between approximately June and September in 2021. The relationship only ended after the boy’s […]

Madeleine McCann disappeared in 2007 shortly before her fourth birthday. The young child went missing from the Portuguese holiday resort where her family had been vacationing. Her parents had put young Madeleine and her two siblings to bed, shortly before going out to dinner nearby. It was during this time in which she is believed […]

The Easter long weekend has been and gone and Queensland saw high numbers of tourists grace its borders for their holidays. With the celebrations came the typical increase in Police officers out in force to monitor those celebrating to ensure things stayed in control.  Random breath testing stops were put in place in numerous locations […]

A number of new changes to the penalties faced by motorists have been announced on Monday 11 April 2022 by the Queensland Government. The changes have come after statistics were released from the offences caught by the new covert cameras in Queensland. In the past four months almost 50,000 fines were handed out to motorists […]

Russia has been suspended from the UN Human Rights Council by the United Nations General Assembly. The suspension bars Russia from speaking and voting, although Russian diplomats can still attend debates. There are 193 voting members of the General Assembly. There were 93 votes in favour of the suspension, 24 countries voted no and 58 […]

A year long alleged business dispute between two men in Hervey Bay has ended in murder. A 62-year-old Urangan man was found with significant injuries to his head at an Urangan business complex at approximately 8:00am on Monday 4 April 2022. The victim has died at the scene from his injuries. Police have arrested the […]

The coronial inquest into the deaths of Hannah Clarke and her three children has come to a close. Ms Clarke and her three children died inside of the family SUV on 19 February 2020. Their tragic deaths occurred as Rowan Baxter, Clarke’s former husband and father of their three children, covered the family car in […]

On Friday 25 March 2022, 21-year-old Mackenzie Anderson was found with multiple stab wounds outside her apartment. The young mother was found on the landing outside her unit after police received reports that her ex-partner Tyrone Thompson had broken into her home whilst armed. Ms Anderson was unable to be saved when Emergency Services arrived […]

Six people, including three real estate agents, are alleged to have used several rental properties in order to cultivate cannabis. They are further accused of having used the names of various unsuspecting renters to claim Covid rental relief payments. All six accused were arrested on Wednesday. The charges laid vary for each defendant but include […]

A pre-sentence report is an independent psychological evaluation that is used to assist the court in making informed sentencing decisions.  Pre-sentence assessments generally address the following areas:  Background of defendant, and any personal underlaying psychological issues that may have led to the offending;  Psychometric testing (a way to measure mental ability and behavioural style);  Investigation […]

At approximately 3:30pm on Saturday a kayaker made a horrifying discovery while kayaking at Gordonbrook Dam. The kayaker found two bodies floating approximately five metres from shore. The bodies were bound together and are alleged to have been there for some time. During Saturday night emergency services recovered the remains of the two from the […]

A regular question that many people charged with drink driving ask is, “Will I lose my job for drink driving?”. The fact is, one of the most common traffic offences in Australia is the offence of drink driving.  Since it is a criminal offence, if a person gets convicted for drink driving, it goes onto […]

The Public Trustee is a socially and fiscally responsive Statutory Authority that is designed to help to make decisions that enhance the dignity, rights and interests of Queenslanders. The Public Trustee is governed by the Trustee Act 1978. The Public Trustee is self-funded – meaning it does not receive any financial support or funding from […]

The Public Trustee is a socially and fiscally responsive Statutory Authority that is designed to help to make decisions that enhance the dignity, rights and interests of Queenslanders. The Public Trustee is governed by the Trustee Act 1978. The Public Trustee is self-funded – meaning it does not receive any financial support or funding from […]

A Melbourne UBER driver is in hospital following an attempted armed robbery which occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning sometime after 3:30am. Mr Hassan Ahmed was one of the victims of multiple unrelated violent incidents which occurred in Melbourne over the weekend. He is recovering after being stabbed seven times and bashed by […]

A 33 year old Logan man has died as a result of critical burns suffered to 90% of his body. It is believed the house fire which resulted in Stanley Obi’s death was set by his former partner, Sarah Mudge. She is thought to have broken into the home before allegedly committing arson. Superintendent Mark […]

In the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday 7 March 2022, a Queensland grandmother plead guilty to drug trafficking charges. 62-year-old Sandra Castle was charged following a six month period of trafficking dangerous drugs including methamphetamine, cannabis and Oxycontin from her home.   Ms Castle was running the operation along side her daughter and her partner, before […]

Jarryd Hayne, former Parramatta Eels player is set to face his third sexual assault trial. Hayne is alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman in 2018, following the NRL grand final. He now faces two counts of aggravated sexual assault.  In 2020, Hayne’s first trial resulted in a hung jury, where the jury where unable […]

Queensland is finally catching up! Similar to how we download our vaccination certificate, we will soon be able to download our driver’s licence onto our phones. The technology will also include digital access to marine licences and proof of age cards.   The digital licence will be considered an ‘official document’ allowing you to drive and […]

The Australian Government has announced that there will be support available for those in South-East Queensland who are currently being affected by the flooding. Affected parties can apply for an Australian Government Recovery Payment to give them some support in this time of need. If you have been significantly affected by the natural disaster occurring […]

Russian President Vladimir Putin has authorised a military operation in the Eastern European country. This has come after months of denial by Russia of such plans, whilst troops continue to be seen massing in Moscow. The Ukraine is located in eastern Europe and is the second largest country in terms of land area in Europe. […]

The Vanuatuan man appeared before the Innisfail Magistrates Court this week charged with murder. The matter has been adjourned to a date later in the year in order for a brief of evidence to be collated and the matter to proceed via the committal process. Murder is a charge that cannot be dealt with in […]

After a Perth bus driver’s momentary lapse of concentration which resulted in the death of a cyclist, the 55 year old Transperth bus driver, Simon Tugwell, received a sentence with no requirement of serving a term of imprisonment. The incident took place at the busy intersection of Newcastle and Beaufort Streets on October 6 2020. […]

Police are encouraging Gold Coast residents to register their CCTV cameras as a means to combat crime. The initiative is currently active in 15 Queensland policing districts, however, has been expanded to include the Gold Coast, beginning with Yatala and Varsity Lakes. The program, Community Camera Alliance (CCA) encourages Gold Coast residents and business owners […]

On the afternoon of Valentine’s Day 46-year-old Vanessa Godfrey was discovered on a luxury golf resort on the Sunshine Coast following a welfare check after they did not check out of their room. The mother of two from Gunnedah New South Wales was discovered by the staff of the Pelican Waters resort already deceased in […]

A 35 year old Nigerian man had now been charged with one count of perjury, two counts of forgery, as well as the offence of providing false documents or false or misleading information relating to non-citizens (Migration Act 1958). The charge under the Migration Act is the first ever to be laid in Queensland. The […]

The murder trial of police officer Zachary Rolfe over the shooting death of Yuendumu teenager Kumanjayi Walker is currently before the Northern Territory Supreme Court in Darwin. Constable Rolfe has plead not guilty to the murder of Kumanjayi Walker. He has also plead not guilty to the alternate charges of manslaughter and engaging in a […]

We are only 8 days into February 2022 and the road toll in Queensland for the month has already reached twelve fatalities. This is the same number of fatalities that occurred in the first three weeks of January. This brings the State’s road toll numbers up to 32 fatalities for the year, and we are […]

Australian businessman, Andrew Forrest, has launched criminal proceedings against Facebook, claiming the tech giant has breached Australian money laundering laws. The mining tycoon alleges Facebook has failed to prevent cryptocurrency advertisements and has not done enough to prevent related scams.  As early as 2019, Mr Forest began requesting Facebook remove his image from cryptocurrency schemes […]

Citipointe Christian College’s controversial contract is a glimpse into “freedoms” that may be allowed under the proposed Religious Discrimination Bill. The contract demanded families denounce homosexuality and that students identify by birth gender, or risk being excluded from the school.  Current discrimination laws prohibit Citipointe Christian College’s “contract”, however, currently before Parliament, is a bill […]

On 4 February 2022 the Queensland Government will introduce new road rules, some of which attract high penalties. New Parking FineMotorists caught stopping in electric vehicle charging bays who are not charging their vehicle will now face parking fines. The new fine carries a maximum penalty of $2,757.00 or motorists may be issued a penalty […]

It is alleged that a 56-year old man from North West Queensland used his position as a taxi driver to exploit numerous vulnerable female victims within the Mt Isa community. In October 2021, police began investigating the man after receiving information pertaining to an alleged domestic violence offence. In early January a search warrant was […]

The Australian Border Force (ABF) has the power to examine ANY goods at the Border- including your electronic documents and photos on your mobile phone. As COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease and we all begin to flock overseas, it is important you are aware that you will likely be stopped by ABF officials for a […]

Terence Darryl Kelly was charged with abducting four year old Cleo Smith in November 2021, after she disappeared from her families tent during the middle of the night in October 2021. Cleo was held for 18 days in Terence’s house in Carnarvon, Western Australia following her disappearance. She was located in a locked room within […]

Justin Stein has been arrested and charged with the murder of his partner’s daughter. Nine-year-old Charlise Mutton, Queensland Resident, was on a holiday in New South Wales with her mother when she disappeared. Charlise was reported missing in the Blue Mountains last week Friday 14 January 2022. Her disappearance sparked a massive search by police […]

Bali bomber- Aris Sumarsono or better known as Zulkarnaen- eluded arrest for 18 years. He was captured in 2020 and has finally been sentenced to 15 years in an Indonesian prison. Zulkarnaen was found guilty of terrorism crimes, including hiding information about the 2002 Bali Bombings and harbouring suspects. The Bali Bombings in October 2002, […]

World Number one tennis player, Novak Djokovic has been deported following the ten day appeal process about whether he was able to remain in Australia for the Australian Open. Originally Djokovic was given a medical exemption to allow him to enter Australia to participate in the Australian Open despite that he was not vaccinated against […]

Drink driving reforms came into effect on 10 September 2021. The reforms incorporate an overhaul and expansion of the existing Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program, and the introduction of education programs. There are considerable new consequences if you choose not to participate in both programs. Expansion of the existing Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program: If you have […]

Drink driving reforms came into effect on 10 September 2021. The reforms incorporate an overhaul and expansion of the existing Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program, and the introduction of education programs. There are considerable new consequences if you choose not to participate in both programs. Expansion of the existing Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program: If you have […]

At 1:00am on Monday morning, the Queensland border opened to the rest of Australia following the vaccination rates reaching 80% double vaccinated. There is some important information you need to know about the border reopening. You can travel from a hotspot and you will not be required to quarantine for 14 days regardless of whether […]

Castlemaine tradie, Glenn Stratton, was charged with murder in May 2021 after pulling the trigger to end his father’s life. This was not an act of hate however, rather an act of “love and respect” as put by Supreme Court Justice Hollingworth. Stratton’s father, Colin Stratton was suffering from chronic cancer. He had attended numerous […]

Parents of Ethan Crumbley, the teen arrested for the murder of four schoolmates and the wounding of seven other people, have been charged with manslaughter. This is the first time that parents of school shootings have been held accountable for the actions of their children. It has been reported that Ethan’s parents, purchased a semiautomatic […]

This article is for general information only and should not be relied on for specific legal advice.  The author will not be held responsible for any action that a person takes as a result of interpretation of the contents of this article.  It is important to seek specific advice from a qualified and experienced lawyer […]

This article is for general information only and should not be relied on for specific legal advice.  The author will not be held responsible for any action that a person takes as a result of interpretation of the contents of this article.  It is important to seek specific advice from a qualified and experienced lawyer […]

This article is for general information only and should not be relied on for specific legal advice.  The author will not be held responsible for any action that a person takes as a result of interpretation of the contents of this article.  It is important to seek specific advice from a qualified and experienced lawyer […]

This article is for general information only and should not be relied on for specific legal advice.  The author will not be held responsible for any action that a person takes as a result of interpretation of the contents of this article.  It is important to seek specific advice from a qualified and experienced lawyer […]

This article is for general information only and should not be relied on for specific legal advice.  The author will not be held responsible for any action that a person takes as a result of interpretation of the contents of this article.  It is important to seek specific advice from a qualified and experienced lawyer […]