High Court decides 'Palace letters' written during the Whitlam dismissal can be accessed by historian Jenny HockingShareHistorian Jenny Hocking has won her High Court bid to access the letters exchanged between then governor-general Sir John Kerr and the Queen around the time of the dismissal of the Whitlam government.Until now, the National Archives of Australia had refused to release the documents, known as the "Palace letters", saying they were private papers.But Professor Hocking told the High Court correspondence between a governor-general and a monarch was the property of the...…High Court decides 'Palace letters' written during the Whitlam dismissal can be accessed by historian Jenny HockingShareHistorian Jenny Hocking has won her High Court bid to access the letters exchanged between then governor-general Sir John Kerr and the Queen around the time of the dismissal of the Whitlam government.Until now, the National Archives of Australia had refused to release the documents, known as the "Palace letters", saying they were private papers.But Professor Hocking told the High Court correspondence between a governor-general and a monarch was the property of the...WW…

Canberra woman denied bail after she allegedly set fire to house to burn herself and her children to deathShareA child called out for a glass of water as smoke reached their bedroom after their mother allegedly set the house on fire, the ACT Supreme Court has heard.The Canberra woman is accused of trying to kill herself and her two then-primary-school-aged children by igniting their home.She lost her bid for bail on Friday after claiming her ill health placed her at greater risk of harm if she caught COVID-19 while in detention.The woman was charged with two counts of attempted murder after...…Canberra woman denied bail after she allegedly set fire to house to burn herself and her children to deathShareA child called out for a glass of water as smoke reached their bedroom after their mother allegedly set the house on fire, the ACT Supreme Court has heard.The Canberra woman is accused of trying to kill herself and her two then-primary-school-aged children by igniting their home.She lost her bid for bail on Friday after claiming her ill health placed her at greater risk of harm if she caught COVID-19 while in detention.The woman was charged with two counts of attempted murder after...WW…

George Pell's appeal makes it to the High Court of Australia — and the world is awaiting its decisionShareAs the first day of George Pell's appeal hearing closes in Canberra, all eyes — in Australia and overseas — are on the High Court as it decides the future of the former advisor to the Pope and most senior Catholic to be convicted of child sex offences.78-year-old Pell is serving a maximum six years in jail after a jury found him guilty of sexual offences against two choirboys in the late 1990s when he was Archbishop of Melbourne.On Wednesday, the High Court took an interest in what is...…George Pell's appeal makes it to the High Court of Australia — and the world is awaiting its decisionShareAs the first day of George Pell's appeal hearing closes in Canberra, all eyes — in Australia and overseas — are on the High Court as it decides the future of the former advisor to the Pope and most senior Catholic to be convicted of child sex offences.78-year-old Pell is serving a maximum six years in jail after a jury found him guilty of sexual offences against two choirboys in the late 1990s when he was Archbishop of Melbourne.On Wednesday, the High Court took an interest in what is...WW…

High Court rules Aboriginal people cannot be deported for criminal convictions, cannot be 'alien' to AustraliaShareAn Aboriginal man who spent 500 days in immigration detention was released today after the High Court ruled that Indigenous Australians cannot be deported.The court found Aboriginal people held a special status and were exempt from immigration laws, after it considered the cases of two convicted criminals whom the Government wanted to deport.The two men, Daniel Love and Brendan Thoms, had failed their migration character tests as a result of serving jail sentences.In a 4-3...…High Court rules Aboriginal people cannot be deported for criminal convictions, cannot be 'alien' to AustraliaShareAn Aboriginal man who spent 500 days in immigration detention was released today after the High Court ruled that Indigenous Australians cannot be deported.The court found Aboriginal people held a special status and were exempt from immigration laws, after it considered the cases of two convicted criminals whom the Government wanted to deport.The two men, Daniel Love and Brendan Thoms, had failed their migration character tests as a result of serving jail sentences.In a 4-3...WW…

High Court statement reveals investigation findings of sexual harassment, denied by former High Court judge Dyson HeydonShareThe High Court has revealed an independent investigation it commissioned has found six former associates were sexually harassed by former Justice Dyson Heydon.In a statement, the court said it was advised of the allegations last year.The investigation was undertaken by Dr Vivienne Thom, who used to serve as the Federal Government's Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security.High Court Chief Justice Susan Kiefel said the findings were of "extreme concern" to all of...…High Court statement reveals investigation findings of sexual harassment, denied by former High Court judge Dyson HeydonShareThe High Court has revealed an independent investigation it commissioned has found six former associates were sexually harassed by former Justice Dyson Heydon.In a statement, the court said it was advised of the allegations last year.The investigation was undertaken by Dr Vivienne Thom, who used to serve as the Federal Government's Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security.High Court Chief Justice Susan Kiefel said the findings were of "extreme concern" to all of...WW…

High Court rules Aboriginal people cannot be deported for criminal convictions, cannot be 'alien' to AustraliaShareAn Aboriginal man who spent 500 days in immigration detention was released today after the High Court ruled that Indigenous Australians cannot be deported.The court found Aboriginal people held a special status and were exempt from immigration laws, after it considered the cases of two convicted criminals whom the Government wanted to deport.The two men, Daniel Love and Brendan Thoms, had failed their migration character tests as a result of serving jail sentences.In a 4-3...…High Court rules Aboriginal people cannot be deported for criminal convictions, cannot be 'alien' to AustraliaShareAn Aboriginal man who spent 500 days in immigration detention was released today after the High Court ruled that Indigenous Australians cannot be deported.The court found Aboriginal people held a special status and were exempt from immigration laws, after it considered the cases of two convicted criminals whom the Government wanted to deport.The two men, Daniel Love and Brendan Thoms, had failed their migration character tests as a result of serving jail sentences.In a 4-3...WW…

ShareBillionaire miner Clive Palmer has lost his High Court challenge against Western Australia's coronavirus border closure.The question put to the High Court was whether Western Australia's Emergency Management Act and the directions to close the border in light of the coronavirus pandemic breached section 92 of the Constitution.Mr Palmer's lawyers told the High Court the closure did breach section 92, which guarantees movement between states.But the West Australian Government told the court the closure was justified because they were reasonable and necessary to stop the spread of...…ShareBillionaire miner Clive Palmer has lost his High Court challenge against Western Australia's coronavirus border closure.The question put to the High Court was whether Western Australia's Emergency Management Act and the directions to close the border in light of the coronavirus pandemic breached section 92 of the Constitution.Mr Palmer's lawyers told the High Court the closure did breach section 92, which guarantees movement between states.But the West Australian Government told the court the closure was justified because they were reasonable and necessary to stop the spread of...WW…

Prime Minister announces new High Court justices ahead of dual retirementShareThe daughter of a former High Court chief justice, and a former Melbourne tax lawyer will be the two new faces on the High Court bench.The two current Federal Court Judges Jacqueline Gleeson and Simon Steward will replace outgoing Justices Virginia Bell and Geoffrey Nettle.Justice Gleeson is currently in the Federal Court in Sydney, while Justice Steward is on the Federal Court bench in Melbourne."They are outstanding judges, they have been outstanding members of the legal and broader Australian community,"...…Prime Minister announces new High Court justices ahead of dual retirementShareThe daughter of a former High Court chief justice, and a former Melbourne tax lawyer will be the two new faces on the High Court bench.The two current Federal Court Judges Jacqueline Gleeson and Simon Steward will replace outgoing Justices Virginia Bell and Geoffrey Nettle.Justice Gleeson is currently in the Federal Court in Sydney, while Justice Steward is on the Federal Court bench in Melbourne."They are outstanding judges, they have been outstanding members of the legal and broader Australian community,"...WW…

Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death shows the top courts in the United States and Australia are very different beastsShareThe stark difference between the United States Supreme Court and the Australian High Court has been laid bare, with the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.Compared to Australia's highest court, the US seems a completely different universe. generated a tremendous outpouring of grief among many Americans.Dubbed the (in a nod to rapper Notorious BIG), with mugs, T-shirts and tote bags across the globe bearing her image — something Ginsburg herself found quite amusing — the Supreme Court...…Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death shows the top courts in the United States and Australia are very different beastsShareThe stark difference between the United States Supreme Court and the Australian High Court has been laid bare, with the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.Compared to Australia's highest court, the US seems a completely different universe. generated a tremendous outpouring of grief among many Americans.Dubbed the (in a nod to rapper Notorious BIG), with mugs, T-shirts and tote bags across the globe bearing her image — something Ginsburg herself found quite amusing — the Supreme Court...WW…