Thousands of protesters marched in the rain to demand safer workplaces and justice for victims of sexual harassment and assault as part of the March 4 Justice rally in Brisbane. The protest was part of a nationwide series of rallies in 40 different cities and towns on 15th March, inspired by recent rape and sexual […]

Protesters have called on the Prime Minister to raise allegations of persecution, torture and organ harvesting with China at next week’s G20 summit. Members of Falun Gong called for government support at a public media conference in Brisbane’s King George Square on Wednesday. “Immediately end the brutal and senseless persecution of Falun Gong in China […]

A Brisbane magistrate has criticised tap-and-go technology after a man went on a shopping spree when he found a debit card outside a supermarket. The court was told Colin Leslie Saunders used the no-PIN pay-pass facility to obtain goods illegally after finding the card at a Newmarket shopping centre. Wendy Cull, SM, said the pay-wave […]

A Cairns woman has been accused of spitting in the face of her taxi driver and stealing his phone. Police say the 32-year-old woman took the phone during the cab ride and when she arrived at her destination, left the cab to get money to pay the fare. When she returned to the taxi with […]

A judge told the District Court today that a father of two took advantage of a vulnerable 14-year-old girl under his care for his own “sexual gratification”. Steven Andrew Brady, 36, pleaded guilty to charges of indecent treatment, unlawful carnal knowledge and maintaining a sexual relationship with a child under 16. Judge Richard Jones labelled […]

A police officer faces the end of his career after being assaulted while arresting a drunken man north of Brisbane last year, the District Court has been told. Judge Philip Robin QC said as an unintended consequence of the incident Sen. Const. Mark Zeller had seriously injured his knee while struggling with Brent James Mattingley, […]

A District Court judge has described a street robbery in Brisbane’s Forest Lake last year by a gang of juveniles as a disgraceful cowardly act. Judge Philip Robin, QC, told Brendan Scott Williams, now 18, he was part of a gang of six or seven drunken, rowdy teens roaming the streets. He told Williams: “You […]

Passionate community groups and talented young performers gathered in Brisbane yesterday to promote awareness of domestic family violence. It was a part of domestic violence prevention month. The Queen Street event, called “Out of the Shadows”, drew attention to the suffering of children and young adults as a result of abuse within families. A variety […]

Queensland’s new Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act includes a revised definition of domestic violence and changes to police powers. The new law came into effect this month. Ipswich Women’s Centre Against Domestic Violence program co-ordinator Rebecca Shearman said the 1989 Act was an important milestone but the new legislation took protection a step further. […]

The Brisbane Supreme Court was told yesterday a man became involved with guns and drugs because he was impressed with the gangster lifestyle. Lee James Ralph, 26, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of unlawful possession of firearms and various dangerous drugs over the past three years. Defence counsel Mal Harrison said Ralph became involved with […]

The Australian government will pay most of the costs for the G20 summit to be hosted in Brisbane in 2014. Queensland premier Campbell Newman has told parliament Queensland could not afford to contribute a significant amount to costs of the meeting of world leaders. “As this event is clearly a Government Commonwealth responsibility, an agreement […]

A Newsbytes street poll has found people are not concerned about the idea of high-tech surveillance drones as long as they are used only for crime control. Queensland Police could trial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the near future. Queensland Council for Civil Liberties president Michael Cope said he didn’t want to ban UAVs but […]

A Newsbytes street poll has found people support controversial swimmer Nick D’Arcy competing in the 200m butterfly at the London Olympics. D’Arcy will fulfil his childhood dream in just less than two months’ time when he swims for Australia at the Olympics. Nick D’Arcy was charged with assault after a brawl with former Commonwealth Games […]

Brisbane has seen some horrific murders, the worst the 1973 Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub firebombing that killed 15 patrons and staff. Then there’s the gruesome Patrick Mayne case from 1848, Karl Kast’s 1955 shooting spree, and the 1989 slaying of City Council worker Edward Baldock by self-confessed “vampire” Tracey Wigginton. The Queensland Law Society’s […]

About 40 protestors held a candlelight vigil and gathered signatures in King George Square last week to draw attention to reported live organ harvesting of political prisoners in China. The Falun Gong group, a banned organisation in China, says 45,000 of its members have had organs harvested against their will. Falun Gong Queensland spokesman John […]