Law Report

A long-running unfair dismissal case involving Queensland university professor Peter Ridd has sparked intense debate around questions of academic freedom.

Also in the program: the High Court has quashed a legal challenge by mining magnate-turned-politician Clive Palmer against laws designed to ban his company from suing the West Australian government for compensation over a disputed contract.

Should judges have social contact with lawyers who appear before them in court? The Australian Law Reform Commission is conducting an inquiry into judicial impartiality. Also, is there an obligation on prosecutors to provide defence lawyers with all the raw data downloaded from a confiscated mobile phone?

The New South Wales Supreme Court has ruled against a retirement village developer claiming ‘squatters' rights’, or adverse possession, over a Sydney property. And two court decisions highlight important issues in UK health law: the legality of severe disability as a reason for late-term abortions and access to puberty-suppressing drugs for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

What do the federal politician Craig Kelly, anaesthetist Dr Paul Oosterhuis, celebrity chef Pete Evans and clothing brand Lorna Jane have in common? They have all been at loggerheads with various regulators over Covid-19 misinformation.

Britain seeks to overhaul immigration laws as asylum seekers and migrants continue to arrive across the English Channel from France.  How to investigate human rights violations when on-the-ground access becomes impossible? And the dangers facing human rights investigators in Afghanistan.

How could the High Court media defamation ruling affect social media use? And are changes to Northern Territory youth bail laws fit for purpose?

The Commonwealth-funded No Fault Covid-19 Indemnity Scheme aims to compensate for medical expenses and loss of income resulting from an adverse reaction following vaccination.

Should compensation be denied to a passenger in a stolen vehicle who was seriously injured when it crashed? And a New South Wales Tribunal has ruled that a Covid-19 death can be classified as a work-related injury.

What will the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan mean for women and human rights?

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal has found that landlords can evict tenants for non-payment of rent during the big Victorian lockdown of 2020. It's a ruling that could affect thousands of vulnerable renters. And, should doctors, lawyers and other professionals be able to sue someone who posts a negative online review?