Category Archives: Australian police and policing

Juror responsible for Bruce Lehrmann mistrial also held out on conviction, inquiry told

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Prosecutor Shane Drumgold claims the juror who brought in outside research papers on sexual assault was not in favour of guilty verdict

The juror who brought outside material into Bruce Lehrmann’s rape trial was also the juror holding out on a conviction, an inquiry has heard.

The ACT director of public prosecutions, Shane Drumgold SC, said he believed the juror who brought in outside research papers on sexual assault, which resulted in the trial being abandoned, had also been holding out on convicting Lehrmann.

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ADF to expand Pacific links in $1.9bn budget package to boost Australia’s influence

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After big-spending Aukus and defence announcements, Labor switches focus to diplomacy

The military and police will expand links with Pacific Island countries as part of a nearly $2bn budget package aimed at boosting Australia’s influence across the region.

After two months of rolling out big-spending defence announcements – including the Aukus nuclear-powered submarines – the Albanese government used Tuesday night’s budget to signal renewed interest in diplomacy and regional engagement.

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Prosecutor feared police shared Brittany Higgins counselling notes in attempt to ‘derail’ case, inquiry hears

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Shane Drumgold says the disclosure to Bruce Lehrmann’s lawyer was ‘deeply concerning’ and he worried about the impact on Higgins

Notes from meetings between Brittany Higgins and a counsellor were given to Bruce Lehrmann’s lawyer by police in a move that a prosecutor feared was an attempt to “derail” the case, an inquiry has heard.

The ACT director of public prosecutions, Shane Drumgold SC, is the first witness at an independent inquiry investigating the prosecution of Lehrmann, who was accused of sexually assaulting Higgins.

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Rockhampton mob ringleader was head of ‘patriots’ group that posted anti-Islam content

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Torin O’Brien led a far-right group that was deregistered as an incorporated association in 2015

The ringleader of a Rockhampton mob that surrounded the home of an Indigenous teenager on Sunday was previously the national leader of a far-right “patriots” group, which regularly published anti-Islam content online.

Torin O’Brien, a former One Nation candidate, posted the names and photographs of the two Aboriginal young people, believed to be teenagers, on Facebook last week and called for locals to attend their address on Sunday.

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Victoria’s police chief apologises for systemic racism and discrimination against Indigenous Australians

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Shane Patton acknowledges at Yoorrook commission the police uniform is a symbol of fear for some First Nations people

Victoria’s chief police commissioner has unreservedly apologised for past and present actions of the force that inflicted trauma on First Nations people.

Shane Patton appeared before the state’s Indigenous truth-telling inquiry on Monday morning.

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Queensland urged to prevent youth crime at its roots following Maryborough tragedy

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Fatal car crash shows a different approach is needed to keep the community safe, leading children and human rights advocates say

Queensland can only prevent youth crime by setting tangible goals to improve children’s lives from their earliest days, the state’s leading children and human rights advocates have warned.

Speaking after a three-car crash in Maryborough on Sunday that led to the deaths of three women, Queensland’s human rights commissioner, Scott McDougall, said the tragedy showed a different approach was needed to keep the community safe.

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Man shot dead by police in Brisbane’s CBD did not take schizophrenia medication that day, inquest hears

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Queensland police tells coroner it found officers acted appropriately in 2020 incident that left Mohamad Ikraam Bahram dead

A man shot dead by police in Brisbane’s CBD in 2020 had not taken his schizophrenia medication when he stabbed a tourist before charging at an officer with a knife, an inquest has heard.

Coroner Terry Ryan, who is examining the death of 24-year-old Mohamad Ikraam Bahram, on Wednesday heard that his family were alarmed by their son’s abrupt departure from their home on 23 February 2020, which they believed was “out of character”.

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Crisis support services can be reached 24 hours a day: Lifeline 13 11 14; Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467; Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800; MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78; Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

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Palaszczuk and criminologists reject calls for serious youth offenders to be treated as adults

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Experts say incarceration only increases risk of offending after Queensland police union president’s comments

Annastacia Palaszczuk and criminologists have rebuffed a call by Queensland’s police union president for serious youth offenders to be treated as adults, after three women were killed in a crash in Maryborough.

A 13-year-old boy is facing three charges of dangerous driving causing death after allegedly stealing a Mercedes from a Maryborough home at 10.45pm on Sunday.

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Nick Kyrgios’s Tesla allegedly stolen from mother at gunpoint – tennis star uses app to track car for police

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Officers chase bright green vehicle after gunman raided the sportsman’s family home in Canberra, Australia, court documents say

Tennis star Nick Kyrgios helped police by using a phone app to remotely track his Tesla after it was stolen from his mother at gunpoint on Monday morning.

Kygrios was inside his family’s Canberra home about 8.30am when a masked man wearing all black knocked on the front door, describing himself as “Chris”.

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Indigenous mother of baby murdered by abusive partner says police failed her in ‘every way’, inquiry hears

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Tamica Mullaley told committee into missing or murdered Aboriginal women and children her child would still be alive if officers ‘did their job right’

An Indigenous mother whose son was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by her former partner says her baby could still be alive if police had done their job properly and believes officers failed her family in “every way”.

In testimony on Thursday, Tamica Mullaley says she described how she was left bleeding after being attacked by her abusive partner Mervyn Bell in Broome in 2013 – but when police arrived after being called to assist her, they arrested her, claiming she was abusive to officers.

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Death in custody: questions raised over checks on Queensland detainee deemed suicide risk

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Exclusive: Guardian Australia understands 30-year-old was held close to main counter of police watch house

A man who died in a Queensland police watch house last week was considered a serious suicide risk but was not checked on for more than an hour after he died, Guardian Australian understands.

Police are conducting an internal investigation into the death of the 30-year-old by suicide inside the Beenleigh police holding cells on Saturday.

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In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is at 988 or chat for support. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis text line counselor. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org

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Raising age of criminal responsibility to 12 ‘falls short’ of First Nations’ expectations, Victorian attorney general admits

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Jaclyn Symes urges other jurisdictions to follow state after announcing ‘staged approach’ to ensure support services are in place

Victoria’s attorney general has acknowledged that plans to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12 “falls short” of expectations from First Nations groups but described the move as a “first step” and urged other states to follow suit.

Jaclyn Symes confirmed the government will introduce legislation later this year to raise the age from 10 to 12, with no exceptions, which will come into effect in late 2024. It will then be increased to 14 by 2027.

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Thieves in Queensland ripping copper from tractors amid high prices, farmers say

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Police in Western Downs acknowledge the thefts are likely the work of organised groups

Thieves in regional Queensland are stealing copper wiring from farm equipment as part of a rise in rural crime which the agriculture lobby says appears to be the work of organised groups, not just individuals.

Farmers in the Western Downs region have reported a rise in thefts, particularly of copper. They’re working with police and local government to try to catch the perpetrators.

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Queensland to decriminalise sex work as review recommends new advertising rules

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Government ‘broadly supportive’ as report recommends allowing for ads and scrapping of police powers

Queensland will decriminalise sex work after a long-awaited review recommended sweeping changes to the industry to combat violence, discrimination and exploitation.

A landmark review into sex work by the Queensland Law Reform Commission has made 47 recommendations, including scrapping the Prostitution Licensing Authority, repealing some police powers and allowing services to be advertised on radio and TV.

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Advice on voice a ‘cynical political tactic’ to confuse voters, Coalition claims – as it happened

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Ed Husic says board appointments alone won’t guarantee RBA diversity

The ministry for industry, Ed Husic, says he believes new appointments to the RBA board alone isn’t enough to bring diversity to the central bank – he says there need to be “deeper structures” put in place.

As a government, I can give you this assurance. We do like to take into account people’s views from different vantage points. I do think it is important that where decisions have an impact – not just in terms of investors or industry but the people that work in them or the broader community – I think it’s a healthier decision …

Some people will fix on ‘well, someone should have a seat at the board’ for that to occur and I understand why they’ll make those arguments. I’m not necessarily convinced that that specifically guarantees that will occur, just having one person on the board. There need to be a lot deeper structures for people to have that sense that they’ve had a say and that they can have an ability to influence and inform decision making.

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Three strikes: NSW falls behind rest of nation as Queensland reforms drug possession laws

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Queensland health minister says progressive changes will open up pathways for people to receive treatment

New South Wales will become the only state that doesn’t allow cautions for people possessing drugs after Queensland moved to mandate a three-strike system.

Doctors, police and drug reform advocates are welcoming reforms, passed on Thursday night, that will see Queensland take a more progressive approach to policing the personal consumption of illegal drugs.

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Off-duty Queensland police officer filmed head-butting 14-year-old Indigenous boy

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Youth involved in late-night altercation in Dalby says he feels he was targeted because of the colour of his skin

An off-duty police constable has been filmed head-butting a 14-year-old Indigenous teenager in the face in a late-night altercation outside a McDonald’s in regional Queensland.

The state’s police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, said an Ethical Standards Command investigation has been launched, describing the officer’s actions as “inappropriate”.

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Australia news live: household assistance on energy bills to be detailed in budget, Chalmers says

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Treasurer says volatility in the global economy to have ‘flow-on effect on budget’. Follow the day’s news live

The shadow minister for foreign affairs, Simon Birmingham, is chastising the PM for letting there be any doubt whether he will be attending the Nato security summit.

Bangarra Dance Theatre supports voting ‘Yes’ in voice referendum

For over three decades, Bangarra Dance Theatre has been privileged to be entrusted with sharing the powerful voices of the world’s oldest living cultures – the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures of this nation.

The stories we tell have awakened a national consciousness to the deep scars of our colonial history, and the legacy of unseen trauma left in its wake. We attend to this knowing that by carrying Story, we also carry a responsibility to give insight into our experiences, promote understanding, and effect change. But is this enough?

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#MeToo movement ‘seemingly affected’ Bruce Lehrmann investigation, inquiry hears

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Relationship between ACT police and DPP ‘beset by tension’, first public hearing told

The #MeToo movement and “intense public discussions” about low rates of convictions “seemingly affected” decisions made to investigate and prosecute Bruce Lehrmann for the alleged sexual assault of Brittany Higgins, an inquiry has heard.

Erin Longbottom, counsel assisting the inquiry into the Australian Capital Territory criminal justice system’s handling of the case, made that submission on Monday morning at the inquiry’s first hearing.

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Whether it was proper for ACT police to conduct a second evidence in chief interview with Higgins on 26 May 2021;

“Confusion about whether Mr Lehrmann should be charged and how matters affecting the credibility of Ms Higgins were to be treated by police in deciding whether to charge Mr Lehrmann, and by the DPP in deciding whether to present an indictment”;

Delivery of the brief of evidence to Lehrmann’s lawyers on 6 August, after he was charged but before a plea was entered, which included counselling notes about Higgins; and

“The apparent close engagement” between investigating officers and lawyers for Lehrmann during the trial “which led to some distrust between police and the DPP”.

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Dozens of climate activists arrested after shovelling coal from train bound for Newcastle

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Police charged about 50 protesters after coal train was brought to a standstill for four hours

Dozens of people have been arrested after protesters scaled a train bound for the Port of Newcastle and began shovelling coal out of its wagons.

The train was brought to a standstill a few kilometres from the port while passing Sandgate, near the Pacific Highway, about 10am on Sunday.

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