Potentially precedent-setting case brought after Jordan Brown hit with capsicum spray outside mining and resources conference in Melbourne in 2019 Climate protesters have won a class action against Victoria police over the use of capsicum spray during an anti-mining demonstration in Melbourne. The first class action against Victoria police in relation to alleged excessive use of oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray was heard in the state’s supreme court earlier this year, and a decision was handed down on Friday. Continue reading...

I love many things about the land of my birth but Donald Trump’s America has become an unwelcoming country of deep divisions and waning trust I’m in the US right now, but if I didn’t have family here (and a US passport), I wouldn’t be. My teenagers and I flew over the week of Thanksgiving from Australia, preparing ourselves for long lines and extra questions at customs. It took less than five minutes in the US citizens’ line. With the news this week of the Trump administration planning to implement new invasive requirements for travellers from 42 countries, including Australia, that would require five years of social media history for visas, I would simply not travel here on another passport. There are plenty of places which welcome visitors without trawling their political opinions and family history. Continue reading...

Woman confronts attacker in Melbourne court after Silvagni was found guilty of two counts of rape The woman raped by Tom Silvagni has confronted her attacker in court, saying his evil actions had violated not only her body but also her trust. The youngest son of AFL great Stephen and television personality Jo, Silvagni barely reacted as the woman – who asked not to named – laid out how his crimes and series of lies changed her life forever in county court in Melbourne on Friday. Continue reading...