Law and Society

The large number of micro-parties in the Senate mean we may be headed toward a double dissolution election faster than we thought. Professor George Williams from UNSW's Gilbert and Tobin Centre of Public Law, explains how to prevent this happening.

PM Kevin Rudd has promised a conscience vote on same-sex marriage laws at federal level, but what happens if the states get to the altar before him? Professor George Williams, Director of the Gilbert+Tobin Centre of Public Law at UNSW explains.

UNSW Scientia Professor George Williams on the complicity of Australia and other countries in the CIA's torturing of 136 terror suspects since the attacks of September 11, 2001.

A report from the US Open Society Justice Initiative has found that after the attacks of September 11, 54 nations - including Australia - participated in the CIA’s torture and detention of 136 terrorist suspects.

UNSW Scientia Professor George Williams, from the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law unpacks what this has involved so far.

A report by UNSW’s Social Policy Research Centre has shown how providing stable housing for people with mental illness has reduced NSW hospitalisation rates by over 80% and saved  $30 million in hospital costs.

In 2008 a remarkable relationship was kindled between the children of Tigger’s Honeypot, one of UNSW’s child care centres, and the residents of Milford House, an aged care facility in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. Once a fortnight the children pay a visit to their older friends, to paint, sculpt, sing, laugh and share stories.

This video looks at the benefits of bringing together the very young and the very old, and how better planning of our built environment could make for a happier, more healthy living environment for all.

On Wednesday 30 May UNSW Alumni and friends attended the second BrainFood Lecture for 2012. They heard from an expert panel that they may well be the next victim of Cybercrime. The cost to the world economy in 2011 was $9 billion and Australians are increasingly targets. Speakers warned that one of the biggest problems we face is Australians have been slow to respond to the new cyber realities.

Ken Gamble, Executive Chairman of the Internet Fraud Watchdog, told the audience that it was very important for everyone to understand the implications of what is occurring and to ensure their online information is secure and protected. He said the problem in Australia has reached “epidemic proportions” and parents need to make sure their children are educated about cyber security.

Other speakers included Mike Taylor, Chief Executive, Money Management who shared a victim story from a business perspective and Detective Inspector, Bruce van der Graaf from the NSW Police Fraud and Cybercrime Squad who spoke of the losses from victims whose credit card details have been sold on the black market.

The panel was chaired by Alarna Maurushat from UNSW’s Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre who said it was one of the most complex problems we’ve faced in the past 200 years and there is no easy solution.

UNSW Scientia Professor George Willams highlights 5 things you should know about Australia's new anti-terrorism laws.

UNSW's Law graduates will be even better prepared for their chosen career thanks to changes that will equip students with more practical skills and a new global perspective. Here UNSW Law Dean Prof David Dixon outlines the new curriculum and explains why it's the biggest change to legal education since UNSW "broke the mould" in 1971.

Professor Alan Dupont, Director of UNSW's new Centre for International Security and Development, talks about the challenges facing our next generation of security experts. Infectious diseases, climate change, terrorism, drug trafficking and illegal migration were issues largely absent from our security agenda 20 years ago, but are now firmly fixed in the public psyche.

One in ten Australians live in strata titled homes such as apartments or townhouses; in Sydney it's closer to one in four. But how much do we know about strata title living and what it involves?

The University of New South Wales has completed a major study of strata titled homes in NSW, finding a surprising 85 per cent of strata owners in the survey reporting defects in new buildings, and that three in four of these said the defects had not been fixed.

The study, headed by Dr Hazel Easthope,  research fellow at the City Futures Research Centre at UNSW’s Faculty of Built Environment,  is the first to look into the experiences of Australia’s three million people who live in the fast growing number of strata title dwellings and found there are major problems with strata living.
 
NSW Fair Trading is conducting its own review of strata law with results due next year and the UNSW study will be a valuable source.

The study will be released at a forum on strata titles being held at The Mint in Macquarie Street, Sydney, 9 to 12am on Monday May 21. NSW Minister for Fair Trading Anthony Roberts will launch the study and a panel discussion on the report will be held by Dr Hazel Easthope, Prof. Bill Randolph( UNSW City Futures Research Centre), Mr Roberts, Stephen Goddard (president of the Owners Corporation Network Australia) and David Ferguson (President Strata Community Australia - NSW).