Law Report

The Federal Court has ruled that the ABC wrongfully dismissed journalist Antoinette Lattouf for reasons including that she "held a political opinion opposing the Israeli military campaign in Gaza." In this special episode, the Law Report looks at what the verdict means for the ABC, and employers and employees more generally.

Warren Tredrea, a prominent Adelaide football personality who unsuccessfully sued Channel 9 for unfair dismissal, has argued in court that his legal debt to the media organisation was settled with a written IOU note. Is this an example of 'pseudolaw'? And how do pseudolegal arguments impact on the courts' work?

Huge property loss is upending the lives of communities in flood-hit parts of New South Wales — what's happening to the rise in insurance claims in areas prone to flooding? And a look back at 50 years of the Australian Racial Discrimination Act.

Can art change lives? Confined 16 is an exhibition in Melbourne of First Nations artists who picked up the paint brush while they were in prison.

The return of high-profile whistleblowing cases to court has renewed calls for legislative reform in Australia to better protect, provide oversight and support to, those who expose wrongdoing in the public and private sectors.

A Victorian woman is on trial accused of poisoning her lunch guests by serving them a meal laced with death cap mushrooms. And a Tasmanian couple banned from taking their alpaca into a supermarket is accusing the store of disability discrimination.

Does pill testing save lives? Damien Carrick visits a pop-up service at a Melbourne music event where substances are checked, and staff talk to partygoers about reducing risk when using drugs.

In 2016, Queensland was the first Australian jurisdiction create a stand-alone offence of non-fatal strangulation. Since then, every other state and territory has followed its lead - most recently Victoria. Almost a decade on, the Queensland Law Reform Commission is conducting an inquiry into the offence.

What's behind the Labor Party's overwhelming election victory? And can AI-based technology be used to discriminate against job applicants?

Two recent court decisions could help shape the debate, and perhaps the law, on when children can be given puberty blockers and cross-sex hormone therapy.

The Hon. Debbie Mortimer, Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, joins Damien Carrick in a conversation about live streaming court cases, suppression orders and access to court documents.

A Queensland man convicted of murder has failed to convince the High Court to strike out laws that were used to deny him parole for refusing to cooperate with authorities searching for one of his victims. And the fate of endangered forest glider possums could be a little safer following a ruling that allows a community environmental group to prosecute the Forestry Corporation of New South Wales.

U.S President Trump's announcement of reciprocal tariffs has sent shockwaves through the world economy, but are these liberation day tariffs constitutional? Meanwhile, in the federal budget, the government included a surprise announcement that it will ban certain non-compete clauses. What will this mean for small businesses as well as low wage employees?

The Trump administration's clashes with the US judicial system are escalating, and two federal judges are in the eye of the storm.

An emoji, a protest placard and a tweet by a soccer fan have all led to criminal charges in Britain. Were the prosecutions appropriate?

How can we improve the experience of survivors of sexual assault in the legal system? The Australian Law Reform Commission has released the findings of a major inquiry into justice responses to sexual violence.

The federal opposition has vowed to roll back remote work entitlements for public servants if it wins the next election — a policy the Labor government says was stolen from US president Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the Fair Work Commission has ruled in favour of a dad who wanted an extra "work from home" day.

What steps does a mentally ill offender have to take to convince authorities they no longer pose a risk to the community or to themselves? And the Federal Court has heard closing arguments in the high-profile employment law dispute between freelance journalist Antoinette Lattouf and the ABC.

To what extent should police be allowed to hack into phones, computers and encrypted communication to counter online crime? And new research says private practitioners are abandoning Legal Aid work.

The High Court has ruled that all judges have immunity from civil action over decisions handed down in court. And how did a Sydney baby food company score a rare legal win against global supermarket giant Aldi?

Australia's new hate crime laws introduce mandatory sentencing for convictions over public displays of hate symbols and terror-related crimes. And prosecutors drop a murder charge against a woman who argued she was asleep when she fatally stabbed her husband.

Members of a fringe religious group in Queensland have been found guilty of manslaughter following the death of a child. And can you sue your employer if disciplinary processes at work cause your mental health to deteriorate?

The Kimberley Land Council is being approached by several native title groups keen to follow in the footsteps of Western Australia's Karajarri people, who have achieved a legal first.

The Law Report looks at the legal fallout from the devastating fires across Los Angeles. And who can be held liable for catastrophic bushfire damage in Australia?

When there's a dispute over the medical treatment of a gravely sick child, who gets the ultimate say?

How are NDAs used by lawyers in the settlement of sexual harassment claims?

This year, the Supreme Court of New South Wales celebrated its 200th birthday.

Justice Joe Willams, the first Māori member of New Zealand's Supreme Court, speaks to the Law Report about how First Nations concepts are being adopted into the common law.

Research published earlier this year examines the impact of heavy workloads on the wellbeing of judicial officers and the quality of justice delivered.

Veteran crime reporter John Silvester talks to Damien Carrick about some of the big developments in the criminal justice space in recent weeks.

It's the Australian trial verdict that attracted worldwide attention.

Tasmanian Supreme Court Justice Gregory Geason resigned after he was convicted and sentenced for assault and emotional abuse or intimidation. The Law Report looks at the broader question of how Australian jurisdictions balance judicial independence with accountability.

The High Court has found that it is not possible to find the Catholic Church 'vicariously liable' for the actions of molesting priests because they are not legally speaking employees. And Victorian drivers with medicinal cannabis in their system will no longer automatically lose their licence.

What does Donald Trump's election victory mean for his legal problems? And the case of a daughter who sued her father for sharing their private conversations.

What's it like to have the responsibility to decide if a serious violent offender should be released from prison and allowed back into the community?

Two unfair dismissal cases highlight a changing workplace. A Philippines based legal assistant has just won the right to bring an unfair dismissal case against her former employer. And the case of the stevedore with a medicinal cannabis prescription.

In his first media interview, Administrative Review Tribunal President Justice Emilios Kyrou outlines some of his new powers. They include the ability to order the publication of low level, routine decisions, which may reveal systemic bureaucratic failures such as the Robodebt disaster.

How should the law respond to the risks and benefits of Artificial Intelligence?

How do tenancy tribunals balance the competing needs of tenants and landlords? And why is Victoria - from a tenants' perspective - ahead of the pack?

To what extent should employers be able to restrict employees from expressing their views and opinions in public?

Mexico is set to become the first country in the world to allow voters to elect every one of its 7,000 judges.

What happens when serious juror misconduct jeopardises a trial? And how can jurors be protected from outside pressures?

A new 'world-first', 12-month visa allows migrant workers to stay in Australia while they pursue unpaid wages or compensation for other forms of workplace exploitation.

Nearly one year into the Israel-Gaza war, how can the International Criminal Court move forward with its investigation into the conflict?

Allegations of atrocity crimes cannot be prosecuted in Australian courts without consent from the Government's top legal officer, who also has the power to block prosecutions.

Join playwright Suzie Miller (Prima Facie) for an insightful conversation about women working in the law.

Playwright Suzie Miller (Prima Facie) explores a pilot program in New York that brings together survivors and perpetrators to address the impacts of harm from sexual assault.

Playwright Suzie Miller (Prima Facie) speaks with those at the forefront of change in sexual assault law in Australia.

International prosecutions have focused concern on the 'hidden crime' of commercial trade in human organs. So, what is the best way to respond to organ trafficking and 'organ transplant tourism'?

Prisoners are being released early in a bid to tackle overcrowding in Britain's jails. And, buying property with help from the 'bank of mum and dad' is becoming increasingly common, so what can go wrong if the loan terms aren't clearly spelt out?