News and resources

The electric scooter is growing in popularity in Europe as a means of urban transport, and there has been pressure in Australia to allow them to be used on cycleways and selected public roads. In many European cities, a person can rent an e-scooter on the spot, ride it wherever they want to go, and […]

Are driverless cars safe? We know that driverless cars are coming. So imagine the future, when you get into your driverless car, set the controls to take you home, sit back and relax as the autonomous vehicle sets off down the road. You are in the driver’s seat, but your hands aren’t on the steering […]

Someone disappears. Years go by and they are still missing. There is no message, no letter, nothing to indicate whether they are still alive. No body is found. Families are in limbo. Can their partner legally remarry? When can the missing person legally be declared dead, their will enacted and their assets distributed? Can someone […]

Visit any city in Europe nowadays and you will be astonished at the number of electric scooters zipping around carrying one or even two people, at speeds up to 25 kph. Men and women in office clothing commute to work on them. Teenagers ride them to school. At night glammed-up folk scooter off to parties […]

Although automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology has been around for many years now, its use still catches many drivers unawares and leaves some questioning its “Big Brother” aspect. However, its importance in criminal investigations leaves little doubt as to its continued value for the community. How does ANPR technology work? Automatic number plate recognition […]

Often for tradies, an inescapable part of doing business – especially in the Sydney metropolitan area – is receiving fines for parking and related offences, and driving matters. However things are changing, and some tradies are learning the hard way about “full road-use recording of offences” – meaning, your business vehicle can have a criminal […]

In Australia, driving under the influence (DUI) and drug dealing are treated very seriously. It is interesting to learn about other countries’ criminal justice systems and the differences in penalties and sentencing for such crimes. Sometimes, despite stark differences in countries’ values, cultures and criminal systems, the sentences are similar, while at other times they […]

A ten year study of the insurance industry’s treatment of people has found systemic mental health discrimination that requires high-level investigation. The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has compiled a report on mental health discrimination in the insurance sector. It found people with a mental health history are often being denied insurance, or are offered […]

Motorist concerned about inaccurate GPS  I listened to a scenario involving an inaccurate GPS speed zone recognition system being discussed on radio recently. A motorist lives near Lemon Tree Passage in NSW. He has 20 kilometres to drive to a shopping centre near Raymond Terrace. There are about six speed zone changes within that distance. […]

Continuous yellow edge line covers many parking situations The vast majority of NSW motorists, who don’t have the time or access to the very voluminous Road Rules (New South Wales version), need to be aware of a fairly severe fine related to parking in many situations. That is because many parking scenarios are governed by […]

Many people who are suffering hardship are unaware they could get financial assistance through their super insurance. Often hidden in the fine print on your superannuation statement, it’s easy to miss, especially as you don’t arrange the insurance. Instead, the premium is automatically deducted from your super account. What does super insurance cover? Your super […]

Penalties for drink driving and drug driving were fortified considerably in 2019 in an effort to reduce the road toll. Amendments to the NSW Road Transport Act 2013 mean that drivers who are now detected with a low range alcohol reading of between .05 and .08 will have their licence suspended automatically. How do police […]

A shocking level of work-related fatalities is disclosed in the figures regularly released by Safe Work Australia. A total of 3,751 workers have been killed in work-related incidents between 2003 and 2018. While Safe Work Australia has stated that the incidence of fatalities is declining, in 2019 there were still 183 worker fatalities, compared to […]

Multiple factors can influence a person to resolve a dispute Do you have an ongoing legal dispute that you just can’t settle? Now might the time to make another attempt to reach a negotiated agreement. In the face of COVID-19, everyone is suffering in one way or another. It might be financial, it might be […]

For large numbers of businesses, closure and lockdown measures have meant that the only way of keeping trading and staying afloat has been to ask staff to work from home. But are there risks? And, if so, what precautions should be taken? Disappearance of obstacles to working from home In these days of effortless remote […]

A new concept under the Motor Accident Injuries Act (MAI Act) that requires notice being given to the “relevant insurer” when making a claim for statutory benefits in NSW raises questions about how to determine which insurer that is. Making a claim following a car accident If you are involved in a car accident, under […]

At a roundtable conducted by the Injury Compensation Committee of the Law Society of NSW in 2019, two years after the introduction of the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017, it was found that lawyers need more information on the NSW compulsory third party insurance (CTP) scheme, its operation and how problems are being addressed. Feedback […]

In 2018, there were 1,136 road deaths in Australia. That means there were over 1,000 families that had to find a way to farewell their loved ones and pay for funeral expenses without creating financial stress at what was already a very upsetting and difficult time. Paying for funeral costs It is generally well known […]