In the media

ACMA finds Lottoland in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act
An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation has found that Lottoland Australia Pty Ltd has breached the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (the Act) by providing prohibited interactive gambling services (07 June 2019). More...

Facial recognition quietly switched on at Queensland stadiums, sparking privacy concerns
Stadiums Queensland has admitted to trialling facial recognition software on sports fans and concertgoers, prompting questions by the state's Privacy Commissioner about its quiet implementation (06 June 2019). More...

Online bookies slammed for flouting code of conduct with inducements
A major bookmaker continues to offer financial incentives to prospective punters to bet online, despite a new national ban on the practice to prevent problem gambling (06 May 2019). More...

Landmark terrorism sentences handed down on same day
Australian courts have sentenced two individuals for engaging in terrorist acts in Australia. While the two cases are not related, this is the first time in Australia that any person has been sentenced for the substantive offence of engaging in a terrorist act (05 June 2019). More...

Telstra fails to consult community
Telstra has been hit with a formal warning by the ACMA for failing to comply with rules for deploying mobile phone base stations. The rules, outlined in the Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Industry Code, are designed to make sure telcos provide local councils and communities with an opportunity to have their say before setting up mobile phone infrastructure (27 May 2019). More...

Continuing reforms priority for Attorney-General
Attorney-General, Christian Porter, said the highest priority will be the structural reform of the family law courts, the establishment of the new Commonwealth Integrity Commission and the religious discriminations bill to protect religious freedoms (26 May 2019). More...

In practice and courts

High Court of Australia
 High Court of Australia Bulletin [2019] HCAB 4 (30 May 2019)

Queensland

CCC Investigations
 Man charged with fraud and falsification of records - Operation Stockade - 30 May 2019

CCC Publications
Corruption in the Queensland public sector - it's not just about public servants
Using recent case studies, the paper highlights the CCC's broader jurisdiction and the types of external influences that could subvert public sector operations ( May 2019). More...

Improper access to public sector databases, no. 2
Misuse of confidential information is an area of focus for the CCC. This is the second paper on the topic and highlights that disciplinary and criminal sanctions may be imposed on public sector officers who don't follow the rules (May 2019). More...

CCC Corruption Audit Plan for 2019-21
Our Corruption Audit plan sets out the agencies and areas we propose to examine over the next two financial years to see how robust their complaints management systems and prevention frameworks are (May 2019). More...

QLS: Increases to penalty units to commence on 1 July
The prescribed monetary value of the penalty unit under the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 (PSA Act) will increase from 1 July 2019. The Penalties and Sentences (Penalty Unit Value) Amendment Regulation 2019 prescribes a new penalty unit value of $133.45 for section 5(1)(a)(i), (c)(i) and (e)(i) of the PSA Act. This is an increase of 2.25% to the current value of the penalty unit. More...

QLS Legal Policy - Submissions
The Criminal Code and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 makes significant amendments to the Criminal Code Act 1899 (Qld) including expanding the definition of murder to include reckless indifference to human life (May 2019).

QLS: Criminal Code (Trespass Offences) Amendment Bill 2019
The Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee has been referred the above bill for consideration and is due to report by 1 November 2019. Please provide your feedback by 21 June 2019. More...

QAO: Follow-up of Managing child safety information (Report 20: 2018–19)
To provide the right services at the right time, organisations must collaborate and share information quickly, easily, and securely. However, they must also balance making information accessible when it is needed, to effectively protect and care for children and promote their wellbeing, with keeping it secure at all times (29 May 2019). More...

Department of the Premier and Cabinet: Consultations
Annual report 2017–18 feedback survey will open until 28 June 2019 - Help us produce useful, high quality annual reports. Take a minute to respond to this survey and share your thoughts and suggestions. More...

OIC Queensland: Handing over personal information
Sometimes we're asked to provide personal documents to verify our identity, but it can also raise questions around how the data is stored (06 June 2019). More...

OIC Queensland: Privacy masterclass - Writing a decision letter
Masterclass Workshop on Advanced Privacy Complaint Handling, on 12 June 2019 The workshop will explore how to achieve a positive outcome in a privacy complaint.

OIC Queensland decisions update: Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council: Intermediate sentencing options and parole
The due date for the final report has been extended by three months, by letter from the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, and Leader of the House, to 31 July 2019. More...

Legislation

Gazetted

Annual Federal Courts and Tribunals Fee Increases from 1 July 2019
04/06/2019 - Pursuant to section 16 of the High Court of Australia (Fees) Regulations 2012, from 1 July 2019 the fee prescribed for each item of Schedule 1 to those Regulations will be the amount listed here Annual Federal Courts and Tribunals Fee Increases from 1 July 2019

Queensland

Subordinate legislation as made – 07 June 2019
No 86 Gaming Machine (Prescribed Liquor Licences) Amendment Regulation 2019
No 94 Adoption (Fees) Amendment Regulation 2019

Penalties and Sentences (Penalty Unit Value) Amendment Regulation 2019 (Qld)
The objective of this Regulation is to increase, from 1 July 2019, the prescribed monetary value of the penalty unit in section 3 of the Penalties and Sentences Regulation 2015 by 2.25% from $130.55 to $133.45.

Bills
 Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Amendment Bill 2019
Date of second reading speech: 5 June 2019

Disability (National Disability Insurance Scheme Transition) Amendment Bill 2019
Date of second reading speech: 4 June 2019

This publication does not deal with every important topic or change in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you have found this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances please contact one of the named individuals listed.