Tag: Law
Is legal jargon actually a ‘magic spell’? Science says maybe
Laws may use complex syntax to indicate their special status, in much the same way magic spells use rhyme or archaic words.
Climate in the courtroom: all sides are using ‘green lawfare’, and it’s good for democracy
While it’s easy to demonise environmentalists for using the courts to further their causes, a fundamental part of any democracy is access to the legal system.
A Russian-born ADF soldier and her husband have been charged with spying. What does this mean?
The couple are the first to be charged under Australia’s new espionage act, which was revamped in 2018.
New research shows 1 in 5 Australians have perpetrated sexual violence in their adult lives. The true rate might be even worse
Data from the Australian Institute of Criminology shows alarmingly high rates of sexual violence perpetration. Here’s what is shows.
Deepfake, AI or real? It’s getting harder for police to protect children from sexual exploitation online
Police efforts to sort through online child sexual exploitation material are being hampered by the rise in AI-generated imagery. Here’s how they’re working to combat the problem.
Australia’s first civilian jury was entirely female. Here’s how ‘juries of matrons’ shaped our legal history
Centuries ago, women could “plead the belly” - argue they were pregnant to avoid the death penalty. It gave rise to the female jurors in Australian courtrooms.
South Australia’s plan to ban political donations raises big risks as well as benefits
Banning political donations may sound like a good idea, but Peter Malinauskas’ plan raises political and legal risks.
You can now be frozen after death in Australia. If you get revived in the future, will you still legally be the same person?
For the first time, a person has been cryopreserved in Australia, in the hope of being reanimated in the future. The process opens up a possible legal minefield, however.
Violence against women is both a legal and cultural problem. What can we do to address it?
Gender violence has captured the attention of policy makers and the public. There’s many things that can be done, both in the short and long term.
AI is creating fake legal cases and making its way into real courtrooms, with disastrous results
Generative AI can be a useful tool, but it can also create inaccurate information. Here’s how to safeguard Australian courts against fake cases, like we’ve already seen overseas.
Non-disclosure agreements are commonplace in sexual harassment cases, but they’re being misused to silence people
Non-disclosure agreements have been used to keep victim-survivors from speaking up. Despite guidelines addressing this, new research shows such agreements remain standard practice.
So, you’ve been scammed by a deepfake. What can you do?
Deepfake scams are on the rise – but can their victims claim compensation? The legal landscape is still developing.
The government wants to criminalise doxing. It may not work to stamp out bad behaviour online
Anthony Albanese has flagged a crack-down on people’s personal details being shared online without consent. But like so much of the internet, it’s hard to police.
NZ's new government is getting tough on gangs – but all the necessary laws already exist
The government’s promised crack-down on gangs may have to work around existing legislation – and human rights provisions.
What is the government's preventative detention bill? Here's how the laws will work and what they mean for Australia's detention system
The release of more than 140 ex-detainees from immigration detention has prompted a panicked government response. So, what does the legislation say, and what happens now?