Law Report - Full Program Podcast

Up to 40,000 people across Australia will seek compensation from the Commonwealth over land contamination from chemicals leached from Defence Department bases into nearby properties and waterways. Residents and businesses claim the contamination has left them trapped in devalued properties with water they can't drink or land they can't fully use. It will be the largest ever open class action in Australia.

One in ten incidents of family violence are committed by adolescents. Most of the violence is carried out by young males towards their mothers and involves verbal and physical abuse, coercive and controlling behaviours, financial abuse, stalking and property damage. Are our legal and social responses adequate?

A Border Force Officer diagnosed with PTSD is in danger of having his Comcare payments suspended partly because surveillance footage recorded him walking his therapy dog, buying milk and looking happy while speaking on his mobile. How fair is our worker's compensation system, especially when it comes to claims for psychiatric injuries?

A rare insight into how to de-program young offenders with extremist views. And meet a speech pathologist who helps translate legal gobbledy-gook, especially for youth in the criminal justice system.

In a world first, a 24 year-old Brisbane man is taking legal action against his superannuation fund for not factoring climate change into its investment decision. This month the case against REST, the Retail Employees Superannuation Trust, will be back before the Federal Court, where the Judge is expected to set a hearing date.

At both the recent Climate Change marches around Australia and the continuing Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, neutral legal observers document security and protest behaviours in the name of maintaining the rule of law. And, the mysterious case of the Canadian crypto currency trader and the missing millions. It raises the question: when someone dies what happens to their digital assets?

A number of people have been arrested and charged in connection with lighting fires in Queensland. Why do people light bushfires? Can we prevent someone going down that path? And, an elderly couple are tragically found dead in their English cottage. Two stepsisters battle in court over which parent died first in order to get the inheritance.

Litigation around the opioid crisis in the US, medical negligence cases involving over prescription in Australia and VAADA's response to the Federal government's desire to trial mandatory drug testing for some welfare recipients.

Danny Lim is well known for wearing sandwich boards emblazoned with provocative word plays. A Sydney Magistrate has overturned a $500 fine imposed on the 75-year-old pensioner for offensive behaviour. Also, what are the regulations around political messages in the sky? And Vale: Justice Jane Matthews.

Cardinal George Pell's legal team have confirmed that they will seek leave to appeal to the High Court of Australia. This follows the majority two to one decision of the Victorian Court of Appeal which upheld Pell's conviction on child sex offences. So what exactly did the three judges of the Victorian Court of Appeal decide and what are the prospects of any High Court appeal?

A global study across 135 countries by the International Bar Association has found that bullying and sexual harassment is widespread in the legal profession. The report makes a number of recommendations to change the culture and work environment in the law office.

A former public servant has lost her free speech argument in the High Court over tweets that were critical of her department's policies. Will this change the way you use social media? Plus, a new study has found that Indigenous people in the Northern Territory found guilty of driving offences are more likely to go to jail than non-Indigenous offenders.

The Laws of War are designed to protect civilians and to place some limits on what combatants can do to each other. 70 years on, how relevant are the Geneva Conventions? And the case of the landlord who was owed $7000 in unpaid rent on a small factory. In retaliation, he kept his tenant's property and equipment.

The behaviour of three controversial judges raises questions about addressing incompetence and incapacity in the judiciary.

Sit in on a Rangatahi, one of the Maori Youth Courts of New Zealand. Find out how they compare to Indigenous courts in Australia.

Come on a tour of Korowai Manaaki Youth Residence in Auckland. Meet the troubled young offenders and the people who care for them. What can we learn from NZ and what can they learn from us?

A Victorian coroner is calling for universities and the federal government to work together to help international students at risk of suicide.

It was a case of 'guilty by social media' when a burglar's twelve day, $58,000 crime spree was brought undone by his glaring digital fingerprints.

In an Australian first, highly trained Labradors are supporting vulnerable witnesses in Victorian criminal trials.

A remote store owner who ran a Book-up credit scheme for Indigenous customers has had his conviction for unconscionable conduct thrown out by the High Court. And the Federal Government is proposing new laws that would make it an offence to provide or advertise academic cheating services in tertiary education.