If you can see through the illusion, you are part of the solution
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In international humanitarian law, hors de combat is a term that sits at the intersection of precision and restraint. It is not a label for who someone “is,” but a description of what, in a moment of conflict, someone has become: a person who is no longer able to take part in hostilities and therefore Read More …
What is the myth of the Belligerent? Our readers have again asked us to explain the legal meanings of the terms belligerent and combatant. One of the more misleading themes found throughout the “Papers” and promoted by influencers is the repeated use of the word “belligerent” as though it applies to the entire civilian population Read More …
“The Truth Shall Set You Free!” Our readers have overwhelmingly reached out seeking clarity on a range of subjects and claims that continue to circulate in Australia. One recurring claim found in various “papers” and promoted by some influencers is that Australia somehow became a United Nations “Trust Territory” following the introduction of the Nationality Read More …
A recurring misconception in public debate in Australia is that any individual who believes they have suffered an injustice can take their case directly to the world’s highest international courts. In reality, neither the International Court of Justice (ICJ) nor the International Criminal Court (ICC) operates in that way. The International Court of Justice, based Read More …
A proposed amendment to New South Wales public health legislation has reignited debate over Australia’s childhood vaccination policies, with Libertarian MLC John Ruddick preparing to introduce a Bill aimed at dismantling the state’s “No Jab, No Play” framework. The legislation would seek to overturn rules that prevent unvaccinated children from attending childcare services, a policy Read More …
In a courtroom in Canberra, the most important legal battles in Australia are not always the ones that are heard, but the ones that are never allowed in. The High Court of Australia sits at the peak of the nation’s legal system, delivering decisions that shape everything from constitutional boundaries to everyday rights. But as Read More …
In a nation often described as politically stable and constitutionally conservative, a profound shift has taken place, one not marked by revolution or sweeping declarations, but by legal reasoning, referenda, and the gradual development of democratic practice. At the heart of it lies a deceptively simple question: who truly holds sovereign power in Australia? For Read More …
The decision in Gibbons v Wright remains a cornerstone of Australian law on contractual capacity. The High Court rejected the notion that legal capacity is a fixed, binary state and instead articulated what has become known as the “relative capacity” principle. As explained by Owen Dixon, a person’s ability to enter into a legal transaction Read More …
A review by the New South Wales Ombudsman has highlighted an important but often overlooked obligation of police officers: when exercising certain powers under the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (LEPRA), officers are legally required to provide their name and place of duty. The Ombudsman report below, “Did police provide their name and Read More …
Every five minutes in Australia’s electricity market, prices are recalculated. Power generators submit bids. Supply and demand are matched. Increasingly, this process is shaped not just by human traders but by algorithms. In its 2021 article in the UNSW Law Journal, “Algorithmic Collusion and Australian Competition Law” explores how pricing software and artificial intelligence are Read More …
