Australian police have arrested a 14-year-old boy after a stabbing at the University of Sydney on Tuesday morning, which triggered a lockdown of the university buildings. 

Emergency crews treated a 22-year-old man, who was taken to a hospital in a serious but stable condition, New South Wales state police said in a statement. 

The 14-year-old boy who allegedly stabbed a student in the neck at the University of Sydney has charges against him last year dropped, NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley says. 

The teenager is in hospital undergoing health assessments after the incident at the university's primary campus in Camperdown on Tuesday morning. 

Paramedics responded to reports of a stabbing about 8:35am and found a 22-year-old man suffering from a single stab wound to the neck. 

The man and the teenager were not known to each other, police said. 

Police allege the man was stabbed by the teenager, who was dressed in camouflage at the time of the attack, with a kitchen knife. 

The student was treated at the scene and taken to nearby Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in a serious but stable condition but was released a few hours later. 

Officers established a crime scene after the stabbing and were told the teenager had boarded a bus on Parramatta Road. 

Police arrested the boy near Royal Prince Alfred Hospital shortly after.

If you or someone you know wish to discuss this issue further, then please do not hesitate to contact us on 02 8999 9809.

Julian Assange is an Australian editor, publisher, and activist whose decade-long legal saga began with the development of WikiLeaks- a non-profit media organisation and publisher of leaked documents, which has published classified documents provided through anonymous sources. The company was co-founded by Assange in 2006.On April 5, 2010, WikiLeaks posted a video entailing a US military helicopter firing on and subsequently killing two journalists and several Iraqi civilians in 2007. For the next year, WikiLeaks would continue to publish more than a quarter of a million posts about the Afghanistan and Iraqi wars as well as US Diplomatic Cables.  

On 23 May 2019 the US Government indicted Assange on 18 charges under the Espionage Act 1917, which accused him of conspiring with American former Army Intelligence Analyst, Chelsea Manning. On December 2021 the British High Court ruled for Assange’s extradition to the US under humane conditions, and in May 2022 the country’s Supreme Court denied permission for Assange to appeal his extradition. In May 2023, Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese supported a motion in parliament for Assange’s release, expressing that “nothing is served” by his incarceration.  

Last February Assange’s lawyers launched a final legal bid to prohibit his extradition to the US, and last month the High Court ruled that Assange could appeal his extradition on arguments about his disadvantage of not being a US Citizen and whether he will receive free-speech protections.  On 24 June 2024, Assange reached a plea deal with the US Justice Department. Two days later, Assange faced court in Saipan and pleaded guilty to one charge of espionage conspiring to unlawfully disseminate classified national defence information. He was sentenced to 62 months in prison, which credited his time already served in Belmarsh prison- pronouncing him a “free man”. 

The end of the financial year (EOFY) is an important time for your business. You'll need to complete bookkeeping, tax returns and plan for the new financial year. This is a time when all businesses are required to finalise their books for a 12-month period and report all income and claim any deductions available to the business. This helps to determine how much tax the business must pay to the government or how much tax the government owes the business. To prepare for the End of Financial Year you should, review your financial record, reconcile accounts, prepare financial statements, evaluate your tax situation, set financial goals and plan for your next fiscal year, and speak to a financial advisor.

First, check what financial tasks you need to complete, e.g.

• a summary of your income and expenses in a profit and loss statement.
• summaries of your record of debtors and creditors
• collating records of asset purchases or expenditure on improvements (to calculate depreciation expense claims and for capital gains)
• completing and lodging your income tax returns
• lodging yearly reports or returns for different tax types such as:

- Pay as you go (PAYG), including finalising income statements for Single Touch Pay role

- fringe benefits tax

- goods and service tax (GST)

• meeting superannuation requirements
• making digital copies of any paper records and backing them up.

Furthermore, find out which tax deductions and concession you can claim. You can claim deductions for most business expenses, as long as they directly relate to earning your income. For example, you may be able to claim deductions if your business: has set up a website, operates at home, has motor vehicle expenses, etc.

Prepare your financial statements, ensuring they are accurate and up-to-date. This process involves collecting all relevant financial data, including income, expenses, assets, and liabilities. Once gathered, organise this information into key documents such as the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. These statements will provide a comprehensive overview of your financial health and performance, enabling you to make informed decisions for the future. Review each document carefully and consider seeking the advice of a financial professional to ensure compliance with accounting standards and regulations.

Setting achievable goals can help you to feel accomplished and good about your situation throughout the financial year. If you’re a sole trader, your goal may be purely financially motivated. For example, if you aren’t happy with how much you earned last year, you can work out what you need to earn in a day, a week and a month before writing down the target. However, if you work for a business that is not your own, you may wish to learn new things to advance your career or take on more in your role so that you can put yourself forward for a pay rise before your next tax return. If this is the case, list out the specific things you need to do or learn and tick them off as you go. Having goals in writing can help you achieve them.

Evaluate your tax situation and consider seeking advice from a certified financial planner or tax professional. They can help you identify potential deductions and credits you may qualify for, ensuring you maximize your return and minimize your liabilities. Additionally, staying informed about changes in tax laws and regulations is crucial, as these can impact your financial planning and obligations. By taking a proactive approach, you can make more informed decisions and potentially improve your overall financial health. Remember, a well-planned tax strategy can lead to significant savings and a more secure financial future.

Anyone is able to view proceedings within the majority of NSW Courtrooms through a principle known as ‘open justice’. The principle is said to be essential to the administration of fair and just trials, ensuring awareness of the wider Australian community towards our legal system. Furthermore, media outlets are able to publish accurate and unbiased reports of the proceedings (John Fairfax & Sons v Police Tribunal of NSW (1986)), broadening access to understanding NSW Courts.

If you would like to view the proceedings of a NSW Court, there are a few rules and considerations to remember.

• Whilst most Courts are open to the public, this does not include Family Law or Children’s Courts matters. Furthermore, specific courtrooms may be subject to suppression and non-publication orders, which prohibit or restrict the disclosure of information within the courtroom or are completely closed to the public. Typically, clear signs are used to convey any restrictions which apply.

• It is against the law to record, both video or audio, or take photographs within courtrooms and court premises without permission from a judicial officer. The offence holds a maximum penalty of $22,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 12 months.

• Upon arrival at Court, a security check with similar procedures to an airport will occur. Ensure compliance with all directions by police or security teams.

• It is important to behave in an orderly and respectful manner, including wearing appropriate and tidy clothing.

• As a signal of respect, it is customary to bow your head towards the Coat of Arms (located behind the judicial officer) before entering and exiting courtrooms.

• Do not approach judicial officers or parties involved in a matter unless spoken to first. Always address a judicial officer with ‘Your Honour’ (judges and magistrates) or ‘Registrar’ (registrars).

When in doubt, court staff will be able to assist with any queries or concerns.

Open justice plays a significant role in maintaining the transparency of our legal system, however, it is important to follow appropriate etiquette within courts to ensure proceedings are efficient and fair.

If you or someone you know wish to discuss this issue further, then please do not hesitate to contact us on 02 8999 9809.

The Family Law Act of 2023 and Family Law Amendment (Information Sharing) Act 2023 were both passed by the Australian Parliament on 19 October 2023. These include a variety of changes in the court system. These latest changes, to both law acts, will not affect any property proceedings. The Family Law Act of 2023 brings new laws containing new ways in what the court must consider when deciding what may be in a child’s best interest and how separated parents go about making decisions for their children.

What is Family Law Act of 2023?

These recent changes will affect people who are in an ongoing parental matter in court (which has not been finalised before 6 May 2024) and anyone who’s trying to settle on a parenting arrangement for their children. The number of changes to the law about parenting arrangements will include:

• Now being able to provide a concise list of factors for the courts to consider when making parenting arrangements in the best interests of the children.
• Introducing more sections into the process of decision making about long-term issues regarding a child.

Other changes that are not related to parenting arrangements and are still apart of the Family Law act of 2023 are:

• Expanding the meaning of the existing terms ‘member of family’ and ‘relative’ to create a more inclusive environment for Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander’ and their concept of family.
• Requirements for Independent Children’s lawyers to meet with a children/s who are apart of a court hearing if they are over 5 years old (only if the children themselves wishes to meet with a lawyer or if exceptional circumstances apply)
• Impact applications which now apply alongside court orders such as Contravention Applications (applications made to the court claiming another party is not following a court order)
• New powers granted to the court in attempt at preventing harmful litigation (which also involves making harmful proceedings orders.

What is the Family Law Amendment (Information Sharing) Act 2023?

The Family Law Amendment (Information Sharing) Act was introduced late last year. This was in the effort to raise and enhance more awareness about child abuse, children of neglect and family violence information throughout the Courts, police, and child welfare agencies.

Family Law Amendment (Information Sharing) Act 2023 presents:

• Protects against disclosing information which identifies a notifier of alleged child abuse or family violence (unless given exceptional circumstances)
• Introduces a new requirement where parties must seek the Court’s permission before issuing a subpoena to an information sharing agency which has been ordered to provide documents or information.
• Enforces more safeguards into information sharing about cases of child abuse and family violence.
• Introduces provisions about how relevant information is to a case for admission and whether it should be shared or not.

When will these changes come into effect?

Starting 6 May 2024, all the above changes for both law acts will come into effect and apply to all new and existing cases in the Court. Although it should not apply if a final hearing has begun, some changes could apply depending on the circumstances.

What does this mean for Practitioners?

Parties and Practitioners who are preparing to file an application with the court should consider timing and how the laws maybe affect their application. Practitioners of the Law or any parties currently involved in a proceeding who have hearings after 6 May 2024(based on an assessment of relevant application proceedings), will have the new law applicable to them. Any submissions that have been filed or orders that have been looked for must be in accordance with the new laws.

If you or someone you know wishes to discuss this issue further, please do not hesitate to contact F&G on 02 8999 9809.

What is a Will?

A will refers to a legal document that clearly states how someone would like their assets to be distributed to whomever they please. Various assets that are included in wills are houses, cars, land, various property, money and personal belongings. According to Australian law,  a will must only be prepared by who a person is deemed to have ‘full testamentary capacity’(one legal and mental ability to make a will). After someone passes away, the executor(someone entrusted to fulfil the wishes of the will) appointed in that will apply for probate. Once probate has been granted, they will then transfer or sell the assets according to the gifts within the will and distribute these to the relevant beneficiaries.

What makes a will valid?

In order for a will to become valid in Australia it must:

• Completed in writing, (can be either typed or printed)
• Signed by yourself or another person at your direction( another person may only sign however if physically unable to and still must be in your presence.)
• Witness by two adults in your presence when you sign it.

What if there is no will?

In the event that someone passes and does not leave behind a will, the next of kin is required to suitably deal with the assets in the Supreme Court of NSW. If there is no one available to dispose of another’s assets,  this is also known as intestacy meaning that the deceased failed to deal with their assets. The court that may be granted the permission to give the power of the assets to:

• NSW Trustee and Guardian
• Any other person that the court sees fit.

So why make a will?

A will is a legal document that can give you a voice in your presence once you die. Reasons someone might want to get a will includes but are not limited to:

• Make sure your assets go where you would like them to go.
• Being able to make sure the people you love are cared for after passing.
• You can leave specific instructions for your family and have a firm voice.

Should you wish to discuss any legal issues, please do not hesitate to contact our offices on 02 8999 9837.

Trigger warning for distressing content.

A 10-year-old girl from Boolaroo Newcastle was found on 29 April 2024 with multiple stab wounds in her home. Her sister, who is 17-years old, has been charged with a domestic-violence related murder.

Emergency services rushed to the home Monday afternoon after receiving numerous 000 calls, but the 10-year-old succumbed to her wounds at the scene. Homicide squad commander Danny Doherty has stated the Prosecution intends to allege that the 17-year-old is solely responsible for the death. He also commented that this incident is “unthinkable” and has become a “very sensitive situation”. At this time, the incident has been deemed to be “out of the blue”. Superintendent Tracy Champan advised on 30 April 2024  that there are no records of the police being involved with this family previously for issues such as what occurred.

The 17-year-old cannot be named as she is under 18 and considered a juvenile. However, she did not appear in Broadmeadow Children’s Court. Her defence lawyer advised the Court that she would not be applying for bail and instead would remain in custody on remand. She will be appearing in Court in June.

If you or anyone you know needs help, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.

If you or someone you know wish to discuss this issue further, then please do not hesitate to contact us on 02 8999 9809.

For the first time ever in Queensland, pill testing was offered at a festival, ‘Rabbits Eat Lettuce’. This is the first instance the service has been provided since the Queensland government announced their plans to roll out pill testing services and allocated nearly $1m towards funding the service.

The new approach by the Queensland Government comes as a result of the significant number of deaths in 2021 attributable to drugs. There was a total of 2,231 drug-induced deaths in Australia – the equivalent of 5 deaths a day.

Drug testing has been found to be a ‘commonsense harm reduction approach’ that has been used across the world. In 2018, the ACT was the first state to trial the service at the festival ‘Groovin the Moo’. However, Queensland is the first state to commit to the service on an ongoing basis.

Along with the pill-testing service, the initiative is intended to reflect the commitment to minimising harm, empowering festival-goers with information, and to provide discreet, legal and medically approved testing aimed to reduce the risks associated with substance use.

Importantly, the service does not only test for substances, but professionals involved in these programs also provide advice, information and any other assistance necessary to any individual seeking to access the service.

If you or someone you know wish to discuss this issue further, then please do not hesitate to contact us on 02 8999 9809.

The Evatt List is a specialist list consisting of Senior Judicial Registrars, Judicial Registrars, Court Child Experts and court staff, who are chosen to manage cases that are considered to be high risk. These cases will often require more intensive case management and resources.

The Evatt List was developed by the Courts to ensure that families who are the most vulnerable are provided with resources, support, and court events without extensive delay in order to prevent the prolonging the risk of any harm or trauma.

The Evatt List prioritises the safety of the parties, children, and any other third parties involved. If parties are required to attend Court for a hearing, the Court may put in place safety measures such as attendance via telephone or video web conference, or a safety waiting room where specific people are not allowed to enter. If there are further concerns about your safety or your child’s safety when attending Court, speak to your solicitors as you may be able to obtain a protection order.

For the process on how Court events happen whilst being allocated to the Evatt List team, see the following link: https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/fl/pubs/guide-parties-evatt-list

Should you wish to discuss any issues, please do not hesitate to contact our offices on 02 8917 8700.