Australia: Criminal Law

Trust accounts hold significant funds on behalf of clients across legal, real estate, and strata management sectors, yet weak controls and high transaction volumes create...

Two young men face criminal charges after allegedly accessing confidential Commonwealth Bank customer records without authorisation, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's banking details. The case highlights how everyday employees with legitimate system access can face serious criminal penalties under NSW privacy laws, even when sophisticated hacking tools aren't involved.

Australian CTP Scheme administrators are seeking stricter punishments for fraudulent and misleading conduct, with a recent NSW prosecution resulting in a 16-month prison sentence. The decision highlights a broader shift towards stronger enforcement and a clear deterrent for fraudulent claimants.

There are laws in place to ensure that Police do not abuse the arrest powers they have been granted.

This article explains what constitutes illicit tobacco, how it is treated under Victorian and Federal law, and what legal consequences individuals and businesses may face if charged.

Scammers often seek to confer legitimacy by impersonating reputable law firms or IP practitioners.

New South Wales has introduced permanent legislation allowing police to use metal detector wands to scan people for knives in designated public areas, following successful trial operations that seized 380 weapons. The reforms expand police powers while raising concerns about civil liberties, racial profiling, and the potential for these scans to become stepping-stones for more invasive searches, despite knife crime being at an all-time low in NSW.

A case on appeal in NSW focused on whether a sentence handed down for drug supply charges was excessive.

Being charged with habitually consorting with recognised offenders in Queensland is a serious criminal matter carrying up to 3 years imprisonment. However, police cannot charge you simply for knowing someone with a criminal record—the prosecution must prove you received official warnings and continued to associate with at least two recognised offenders after those warnings.

New South Wales has introduced permanent legislation allowing police to use metal detector wands to scan people for knives in designated public areas, following successful trial operations that seized 380 weapons. The reforms expand police powers while raising concerns about civil liberties, racial profiling, and the potential for these scans to become stepping-stones for more invasive searches, despite knife crime being at an all-time low in NSW.

The NSW Court of Appeal has struck down sweeping anti-protest laws enacted after the Bondi Beach terror attack, ruling that police powers to ban public assemblies across broad geographic areas violated constitutional protections for political communication. The landmark decision examines whether governments can impose blanket restrictions on peaceful protests during times of heightened security concerns, and what constitutional limits exist on such powers.

Jaywalking is seen to present a danger to both pedestrians and traffic which has led to its criminalisation in many jurisdictions.