Our News
Mandatory Sentencing & Limiting Judicial Discretion
In recent years, Queensland parliament has introduced numerous new mandatory sentencing regimes which effectively limit the discretion of the judiciary to impose a sentence that is fair and just in the circumstances. In particular, the following mandatory sentencing...
Real Life Q&A: Wills
One of our staff members saw the following posted in an online forum: “Wills. How do they work?? Is it magnets? Apparently the post office Will Kits are no good.And I hear “Get a proper one with a lawyer.” Since this is not America, and we don’t have “a lawyer,” I’d...
“A Verbal Contract Is Not Worth the Paper It Is Written On”: Or Is It?
Contracts may be written, oral, or contain a combination of written AND oral terms. There is often considerable difficulty proving terms which are agreed orally, especially if a dispute ends up in a court or tribunal hearing where the existence of oral terms can often...
Redkite Releases Moving Awareness Campaign
You may not have heard of Redkite yet, but after viewing their newly released awareness campaign – you won’t just want to know who they are, you will want to know how you can help them. Redkite, formerly the Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund for Children in Australia, was...
One Punch Laws: Tough On Crime & Tough On Rights
On 26 August 2014, the Safe Night Out Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 (“the Bill“) was passed by the Queensland Parliament which is part of the Queensland Government’s “Safe Night Out” strategy, with the objective to reduce alcohol and drug-related violence in...
Man Dies Moments Before Signing His Last Will: Can It Be Proved Valid?
Picture this: a man is dying in hospital and suddenly decides to change his will. A lawyer is called to attend the hospital to take instructions for the man’s will. The man, close to the end of his life, labouring to breathe, just barely able to summon enough energy...
Landlords Beware: Blinds & Curtain Cords Can Kill
Loose blinds, curtain cords and chains (particularly those with loops) have been the subject of extensive investigations, inquiries and consultations with industry associations, companies, people and health and advocacy groups in recent years, conducted by the...
Q&A: Wills & Estates
Q. What’s the difference between a good will and a bad will? A. A good will obviously needs to give effect to a person’s intentions. It requires a detailed consideration of the testator’s family relationships, property and associated entities such as trusts, companies...
Protecting Rights: You Have Them For A Reason
The world was graced with pictures and film footage of one of Australia’s richest men and a multimillionaire media mogul trading blows in a two-sided brawl. It was in public, in the middle of the day and can be classified as ‘affray’, a crime against public order,...