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- Anne Twomey on the Whitlam dismissal
Anne Twomey on the Whitlam dismissal
Anne Twomey's latest Constitutional Clarion video discusses confusion about the reserve powers of the Governor-General and the relevant precedents in 1975, Clive Palmer human rights complaint referred to QLD Supreme Court, SXSW Sydney next month will feature "AI as judge, jury, and executioner: The ethics of automated sentencing".
Daily wrap
Labor election pledges at risk of being unconstitutional [AFR paywall]
Government lawyers have warned Attorney-General Michelle Rowland about Labor’s cash splash during the federal election campaign.
Gareth Ward’s defamation case against 2SM dismissed | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site for latest headlines
Melbourne neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell guilty of intimidating police officer | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site for latest headlines
Notorious neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell has avoided jail after he was found guilty of intimidating a police officer and his wife, but remains behind bars on remand.
Supreme Court gives Queensland hospital permission to terminate 12yo girl's pregnancy - ABC News
Girl, 12, accused of stabbing foster carer drops bail bid [Brisbane Times paywall]
“If convicted of attempted murder, the girl faces a potential maximum sentence of a life term under the Queensland government’s ‘adult crime, adult time’ laws.”
He’s accused of murdering a father and son. The police may have jeopardised the case [SMH paywall]
Explosive documents reveal that the AFP is alleged to have “kidnapped” wanted fugitive Masood Zakaria in its quest to bring him to justice.
Coal billionaires squabble over firing power [The Australian paywall]
A Queensland coal empire worth billions hangs in the balance as two octogenarians wage war in courtrooms across two continents.
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Constitutional confusion about the Whitlam dismissal - Anne Twomey - YouTube
This is the first in a series of videos explaining the background and context of the Whitlam dismissal in 1975, in the lead-up to its 50th anniversary. The video explains why there was so much confusion about the reserve powers of the Governor-General and the relevant precedents in 1975, and why that confusion has clouded matters since. It discusses what books and guidance were available at the time, and lack of access to primary documents, resulting in ignorance amongst the legal advisers of the day about relevant precedents and doctrines.
From hallucinations to High Court: Can AI deliver justice? [SMH paywall]
There are calls for Australian courts to consider trialling AI technology, and even allow it to decide cases, despite a growing number of fabrications and errors.
SXSW Sydney (13 Oct 2025) - AI as judge, jury, and executioner: The ethics of automated sentencing
Join us for an interactive debate that delves into the controversial role of AI in the judicial system. Audience members will have the opportunity to vote in real-time on a high-stakes embezzlement case in the year 2035, weighing in on whether AI should make critical judicial decisions and if public sentiment should influence a legal ruling. A legal expert, an ethicist, and a judge will explore whether AI can ever be truly fair in sentencing decisions, risk assessments, and parole rulings.
Thorpe v Magistrates' Court of Victoria [2025] VSCA 220 (12 September 2025)
[8] Uncle Robbie Thorpe’s proposed grounds of appeal from that decision are, in summary, as follows:
…
(d) The judge erred in failing to state in her judgment that Uncle Robbie Thorpe addressed the Court while robed in possum skins with spears, a fighting shield and a boomerang on the bar table and with two warriors with spears at the doors of the courtroom (ground 4).
Guide for Using Generative AI in the Legal Sector - Ministry of Law Singapore
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