Law & Crime

As the increasingly powerful crossbench this week pushed for an anti-corruption body, Attorney-General Christian Porter scrambled to find excuses as to why it would be dangerous.

While security chiefs are supporting Peter Dutton’s call for new powers to access encrypted data, they have declined to support the government’s claim such changes are made more urgent by the recent terror attack and arrests in Melbourne.

As the banking royal commission’s hearings conclude, it can be revealed the banks have made $88 million in tax-deductable donations to avoid major penalties.

Victoria Police are expanding the use of body cameras despite concerns from community and legal groups about a lack of rules over their use and uncertainty about the accessibility of footage to support complaints about police conduct.

Russia and China have sought to influence opinion in Australia using social media, a parliamentary joint committee heard this week, in operations ranging from advocating political positions to ‘fake news’.

Government agencies are using a loophole to access individuals’ metadata without warrants, as Peter Dutton attempts to rush through further security agency powers.

After three people were stabbed, one fatally, in the centre of Melbourne, terror experts, authorities and politicians are at odds on how to stop ‘lone wolf’ attackers.

Growing suspicion over the government’s security and intelligence powers has seen the heads of two powerful agencies begin a charm offensive to try to win back public trust.

According to figures requested by the Reason Party, legalising cannabis and personal drug use would generate millions of dollars in tax revenue and benefit an overwrought legal system.

The case of Mohamed Kamer Nizamdeen, released after a month in prison when terrorism-related charges were dropped because of mistaken evidence, is the latest in a string of dubious arrests and defamatory accusations in the media against Australian Muslims.