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What the Children’s Court Is Actually Doing in Queensland — and Why That Matters

Youth justice is one of the most publicly debated and least understood parts of the criminal justice system in Queensland. This piece explains what the Children’s Court is actually being asked to do, and why that task is different from the one many people assume. A child is charged with an offence. The matter goes to court. And the reaction is often immediate: why is this being treated differently from an adult case? Why does the court seem to ask about age, schooling, home l

By Sacha Sarah Smith

crypto scammers not above the law: how victims can fight back

Scams are not new. Financial fraud has long adapted to whatever financial technology, communications channel, or investment narrative is available at the time. Crypto scams are just a newer form of that problem. Crypto scams use familiar patterns of deception such as Ponzi schemes, romance scams, phishing. But the mechanics of crypto scams make detection and recovery difficult: fast, cross-border transactions, pseudonymous addresses, and opaque business platforms. When some

By Dr Aaron Lane

Life means life: life sentences and redetermination in NSW

On 15 September 2026 the NSW Government introduced the Justice Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous) Bill (No 2) 2026. One part of it is labelled "life means life". It is meant to put beyond doubt that a person given a life sentence in NSW since the 1990 truth in sentencing reforms can never be released and can never have that sentence reopened. This note sets out what a life sentence already means in this State, the redetermination scheme the change is aimed at, and what wou

By Aaron Kernaghan

can police access your phone data on the spot without a warrant?

Gone are the days when evidence was solely collected from raids, asset possession, or the classic detective work you see on television. Today, there is more information on the average mobile phone than police could once have gathered from weeks of traditional means. A phone contains what you would expect – such as messages and photos – but also hidden information – such as location history and deleted search queries. Altogether, a phone is an invaluable investigative tool tha

By Jimmy Singh

Can the police revoke my firearms licence because they found cannabis plants in my backyard?

Firearms licence holder uses cannabis to manage chronic back pain A man living in regional NSW held a Category AB firearms licence, authorising the use of certain rifles and shotguns. He primarily used his firearms for recreational shooting and for pest and vermin control on a rural property owned by his neighbours. At the age of 16 he had suffered a serious spinal injury in a workplace accident. The injury caused him to suffer chronic back pain, which he relieved by using ca

By Anneka Frayne

Crackdowns and raids on illegal tobacco in qld

There has been much reporting in recent media about “crackdowns” and “raids” on businesses throughout South-East Queensland who are alleged to have engaged in the sale of Illegal Tobacco Products and/or Illegal Nicotine Products. background These “raids” have been carried out by Queensland Health in conjunction with the Queensland Police, and were preceded by legislative changes which saw substantial increases to the penalties for individuals and businesses engaged in those

By Zac Reinke

science in the service of justice

Why Forensic Scientists Must Work alongside Lawyers in the Establishment of a Criminal Cases Review Commission Introduction The criminal justice system rests on two pillars of expertise that too often operate in isolation: law and science. Lawyers are trained in procedure, precedent, and advocacy; scientists in methodology, evidence, and the limits of knowledge. A Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), a body charged with identifying and remedying wrongful convictions sits

By Jae Gerhard

The NSW Good Character Bill Gets the Goal Right. The Scope Is the Problem

Let me say something that might surprise you, coming from a criminal defence lawyer: I understand why this Bill exists. The New South Wales Government has introduced the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Amendment (Good Character at Sentencing) Bill 2026, legislation that would abolish good character as a formal mitigating factor at sentencing across every criminal offence in this state. I understand why it exists not as an abstraction, but because I have sat across from the surv

By Peter O'Brien

was the sentence for drug supply excessive, did media play a part?

Man arrested for supply of prohibited drugs A case on appeal in NSW focused on whether a sentence handed down for drug supply charges was excessive. The facts In June 2015, a young man was apprehended by police and found to be in possession of a substantial quantity of illegal recreational drugs. This included 17 MDMA tablets, 100 MDA tablets, 338.8 grams of 1,4-butanediol (or “bute”, an alternative to the drug GHB), and 1.3728 kilograms of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), as well

By Ashleigh Flanagan

was the sentence for drug supply excessive, did media play a part?

insider info on australian of the year

In January 2024, the Australian Federal Police laid criminal charges against a Sydney man for allegedly using inside information to place bets on the outcome of the Australian of the Year Awards. The prosecution formed part of a broader investigation known as Operation Maridun, which examined illicit betting activity based on confidential information about award outcomes. The case highlights the application of insider information offences beyond traditional financial markets.

By THE BRIEF EDITORIAL

Bookie gets audited to ensure compliance

Aussies are the biggest punters per head of population in the world, and when placing money on unknown outcomes is done with such frequency and the losses so significant, the construct of that regulated environment must be monitored in partnership with the market markers and regulators through the same lens. The process of regulation is not just about monitoring and identifying the legitimacy of the bet that punters place, but ensuring the wagering system's compliance restric

By CJ DORE

not what you say, but how you say it in a confession

The High Court’s decision in The King v ZT (2025) addresses a question that sits at the centre of modern criminal litigation – how appellate courts must approach cases in which the jury’s verdict rests heavily on recorded evidence. As surveillance material, police interviews and telecommunication intercepts become more prevalent in serious criminal trials, the question of who must listen, who must watch and who may form an evaluative judgment becomes critical. This case place

By THE BRIEF EDITORIAL