Administrative Law

Expansion of Court and Police Powers in Relation to Public Safety

The amendments passed by the Queensland Parliament in the Serious and Organised Crime Legislation Amendment Act 2016 (Qld) relating to the Peace and Good Behaviour Act 1982 (Qld) have now commenced, increasing police powers and expanding the types of orders that the courts can make. This article will cover 3 types of orders. We note that each order is subject to its own separate rules, hence if you are subject to another type of an order not covered, you should contact our lawyers as the procedures you should follow could differ substantially. Public Safety Orders Public safety orders are orders which prohibit a person or group from...

Moves to Drug Test Students

PARENTS on the Fraser Coast might face the prospect of their kids undergoing random drug tests in the future if moves by The Southport School on the Gold Coast to test their students are successful. Prominent criminal defence lawyer Bill Potts said the whole area was a potential legal minefield. “There’s a real fear the school authorities have not thought this through,” he said. “If the school finds evidence of drugs in a student’s system, does the school notify the police? “Does it then become an arm of the police and if it does not report the student to police, is the school thus...

Police Face Legal Minefield in Deciding on Ashby Investigation

Queensland police are negotiating a legal minefield to assess whether to launch a full criminal investigation into a complaint by stood-aside Speaker Peter Slipper that the former staffer pursuing him for sexual harassment where he had sex with two underage males nine years ago. In Queensland, sex with minors is an offence carrying a maximum of 14 years in jail, but police have received only a “third-party” complaint from Mr Slipper about his former aide James Ashby’s alleged dealings. The Liberal National Party turncoat wrote to Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson in late June to relay the claims about Mr Ashby’s alleged...

Whistle-blowers in Fear of Witch-hunts

A culture of fear among police whistle-blowers has emerged as Queensland’s top cop vowed to hunt the source of an alleged police bashing video.

Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson has pledged a “full, thorough and exhaustive” investigation into the alleged bashing of 21-year-old chef Noa Begic in the bowels of the Surfers Paradise police station. Mr Begic had his hands cuffed behind his back when officers were seen kneeing and punching him.

Mayor orders email interception probe

GOLD Coast Mayor Ron Clarke has ordered an inquiry into the email intercept operation run by council officials.

The report is to be presented to the full council on Monday.

Ex-cop cleared after ‘CMC witch-hunt’

A FORMER Gold Coast police officer cleared of faking evidence to win a traffic case has claimed he was a victim of a Crime and Misconduct Commission witch-hunt.

David Allan Spedding, 42, lost his job as a Surfers Paradise traffic officer in 2008 after he was accused of making a false statement to the court.

CMC Stripped Of Power

DRUG lords, outlaw bikies and paedophiles are free to ply their evil trades in Queensland after the Supreme Court effectively shut down the state’s top organised crime fighting body.

In a decision that has rocked the Crime and Misconduct commission, one of its key powers has been ruled illegal by the court.

The shock judgement means the CMC can no longer use its blanket powers to hold secret “star chamber” hearings into specific organised crime and paedophilia offences and force witnesses to testify under threat of jail.