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This Month

Senator Mehreen Faruqi leaves the Federal court after winning her racial discrimination case against Senator Pauline Hanson in Sydney on Friday.

Hanson racially vilified senator in ‘angry personal attack’: judge

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson racially vilified Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi in a tweet telling her to “piss off back to Pakistan”, the Federal Court has ruled.

  • Gus McCubbing

August

Despite decades of failure, Australia’s constitution can be modernised

Most Australians were not alive the last time it was updated. This is why the nation needs to work out a way to pass referendums.

  • David Hume and George Williams

June

DWF’s insurance head Matthew Doughty says the firm’s return to Australia will attract attention from competitors.

British law firm DWF bulks up Down Under

Just three years ago DWF slashed its Aussie headcount. Now the insurance-focused business is bulking up again, buying local claims management firm Proclaim.

  • Hans van Leeuwen

May

MinterEllison CEO Virginia Briggs says rather than feel excluded by the firm’s AI program, some graduates are excited to work with the technology.

If AI can do the work of a grad lawyer, what does a grad lawyer do?

As tech increasingly takes on the legal grunt work, MinterEllison is trying to rethink the work and skills of its young lawyers.

  • Hans van Leeuwen
Pauline Hanson leaves court with her barrister, Sue Chrysanthou, SC, in Sydney on Monday.

Judge retires to consider if Pauline Hanson is a racist

After a bitterly fought trial, a judge has retired to consider whether Pauline Hanson made a racial slur when telling a Muslim senator to go back to Pakistan.

  • Miklos Bolza
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April

Pauline Hanson and Sue Chrysanthou, SC, outside the Federal Court in Sydney on Monday.

A judge may decide if Pauline Hanson is a white supremacist

The far-right senator’s career of racial commentary is on trial in the Federal Court.

  • Aaron Patrick
Humza Yousaf on March 27, the day he was elected Scotland’s first minister.

Scotland in minority government after Green coalition collapses

The Scottish National Party will run the country as a minority government after its coalition with the Green party fell through over climate policy.

  • Reuters

August 2023

Mr Ellis said it would be hard to stop Chinese buyers from purchasing property in Australia.

Global law firm retreats from China ahead of data crackdown

Dentons is splitting from its Chinese operations to comply with impending regulations, one of the more significant withdrawals by a Western company.

  • Sarah Zheng

April 2023

Allsop

Ex-chief justice passes on top tips for commercial lawyers

As he exits the Federal Court, James Allsop says two questions as a young lawyer “taught me a lot about tax and taught me a lot about commerce”.

  • Michael Pelly
Carol Marie Puruntatameri and Paulina Jedda Puruntatameri are among traditional owners opposing  the gas project.

Banks targeted in fresh Santos gas battle

Australia’s big four banks are among those targeted in the legal challenge against a Santos gas project in the Timor Sea in a test of their human rights policies.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith

February 2023

ASIO Director-General of Security Mike Burgess, in Canberra on Tuesday 21 February 2023.

Why can’t ASIO catch the spies?

Despite big budget increases and new powers, the security agency has been responsible for the arrest of one person in five years.

  • Aaron Patrick

January 2023

Former deputy prime minister and Nationals leader John Anderson says he has been deeply troubled by tone of the Voice debate

Ex deputy PM joins ‘No’ vote, says Aussies being ‘shamed’ over Voice

Nationals heavyweight John Anderson says he may oppose the Indigenous Voice to Parliament over concerns Australians are being shamed for asking genuine questions.

  • Samantha Hutchinson and Mark Di Stefano

December 2022

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus.

‘Dysfunctional’ Administrative Appeals Tribunal abolished

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus says the AAT will be replaced by a new body with a merit-based appointment system.

  • Michael Pelly and Tom McIlroy
Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher said the ‘Soviet-style’ gas policy is a form of nationalisation.

Santos seeks project guarantees under ‘Soviet-style’ gas policy

Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher says the government’s intervention means gas projects will only proceed if deals are done to guarantee fiscal terms.

  • Updated
  • Angela Macdonald-Smith

October 2022

Lawyers in NSW, Victoria and WA operate under uniform laws.

New CEO for legal regulator

Heather Moore was this week named as the ultimate head-honcho for 65,000 lawyers

  • Michael Pelly
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September 2022

White-collar crime is, more often than not, committed by gambling addicts.

Fraud cases are the tip of the iceberg

Companies wanting to avoid white-collar crime need to be more proactive and put in place preventive measures to ameliorate risks.

  • Tony Boyd
Independent David Pocock.

Pocock pushes Greens to leverage Labor on super transparency

The Senate will have no power over the government until it reverses a decision letting super funds conceal spending on political parties, ads and influence groups.

  • Jacob Greber

August 2022

Then-prime minister Scott Morrison with Governor-General David Hurley in 2019.

Overhaul needed on ministerial rules: GG’s official secretary

The startling concession comes amid questions about why Morrison’s secretive jobs were not captured by an obscure bureaucratic rule known as the “Harradine list”.

  • Updated
  • Jacob Greber
Hadi Matar, 24, from New Jersey, pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance.

Rushdie ‘off ventilator and talking’ after stabbing attack

Hadi Matar pleaded not guilty after allegedly stabbing Salman Rushdie 10 times in a frenzied attack.

  • Updated
  • Carolyn Thompson and Hillel Italie

June 2022

Defence barristers take part in a strike outside the Central Criminal Court, also known as the Old Bailey, in London.

Wigs down: Now Britain’s barristers join the picket line

The sight of robed barristers striking for a pay rise has put yet more heat into a summer of simmering industrial unrest.

  • Hans van Leeuwen

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/law-jd6