On this episode, the Wigs discuss the recent High Court decision Commonwealth of Australia v. AJL20 [2021] HCA 21, A narrow win for the Commonwealth against a refugee whose visa was canceled on character grounds, and a case that has potentially big implications for the protection of liberty in this country. Secondly, a world-first in enforcement against big tech - the Wigs delve into the Federal Court of Australia decision, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Google LLC (No 2) [2021] FCA 367, in which the consumer protection body, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission succeeded in showing Google has engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct and made false or misleading representations to consumers about the personal location data the company collects, keeps and uses when using their Android phone and tablet devices. Finally, what has been described as "the most serious series of miscarriages of justice in recent English history" - a scandal which has finally been brought into the light after a long tail of destruction: "for 20 years the Post Office hijacked the English criminal justice system and used it, essentially as part of the Post Office for its own purposes. In the process, it ruined the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of innocent people". See Josephine Hamilton and Others v Post Office Limited [2021] EWCA Crim 577.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This bonus episode of The Wigs is part of our solo Wig interview series. Felicity Graham sat down with special guest Rawan Arraf of the Australian Centre for International Justice to discuss universal jurisdiction, the crime of apartheid, the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction over alleged offences in the occupied Palestinian Territory, the work that can be done domestically to achieve global justice and more.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kicking off Season 3, The Wigs Felicity Graham, Stephen Lawrence and Emmanuel Kerkyasharian (along with Jim Minns) broadcast live from lockdown with an in-depth look into the NSW public health orders that have hastily been put in place. Issues including the right to silence, the right against self-incrimination, policing in the time of COVID and the rule of law will be interesting to all.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, the final for season 2, the wigs tackle the changes the NSW government is proposing to sexual consent laws. 

These changes - if passed by parliament - will require participants in sexual acts to seek "active consent" before engaging. 

It is a proposal that has divided the legal community and raises profound questions about the role of the criminal law:

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wigs LIVE! Recorded at the NSW Public Defenders conference on Sunday 14 March, 2021 before approximately 500 conference delegates. The annual PD's conference is NSW premier criminal law conference and The Wigs were certainly happy to accept the invitation.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is devoted to a recent damning report delivered to the NSW Parliament by the NSW Law Enforcement Conduct Commission following a complaint by a criminal defence solicitor in regional NSW that he had been targeted, harassed and intimidated by police officers in Strike Force Raptor - when he was simply doing his job, that is representing a client allegedly involved in an outlaw motorcycle gang.

Strike Force Raptor began 12 years ago in NSW with the purpose of disrupting the illegal activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs by using intensive targeting campaigns on gang members, their family and friends or anyone associated with them.

The investigation by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, called Operation Monza, found that the actions of the three Police officers from Strike Force Raptor had amounted to serious misconduct.

The Commission held private hearings with witnesses and has prohibited the publication of the names of any of the police officers or the solicitor involved.

The Wigs cannot name any parties involved but the following is a discussion of the findings and the recommendations made and what can be done to better protect the rule of law and an independent legal profession from attack.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Wig Stephen Lawrence sits down with Barrister Douglas McDonald-Norman to talk about a fascinating figure in Indian legal history, William Broome, the British colonial judge who ‘stayed on’ in 1947 when the new Indian nation was born. Douglas McDonald-Norman practises from Eight Selborne Chambers in Sydney where he has a diverse practise including in administrative and commercial law. Their wide-ranging discussion canvasses the man, his personal life, his cases, how his story fits with different conceptions of the Indian nation as well as broader political issues such as the 1970’s ‘Emergency’ and the role of religion in Indian politics.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.