Episode notes
The Law Report is asking some big picture questions about the pros and cons of facial recognition software use by police and retailers.
Law Report
by ABC Australia · English · News
From courtroom dramas to miscarriages of justice, to how the law affects you — and so much more. The Law Report is your accessible guide to the big legal stories unfolding in Australia and across the world.
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Australia's most decorated living soldier Ben Roberts-Smith has been granted bail after being charged with five counts of the war crime of murder. Why was he granted bail? And why did the judge find there were exceptional circumstances and bail did not impose any unacceptable risks?
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14 Apr 2026 · 29 min
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In countries where voluntary assisted dying is allowed, there are very different legal frameworks. A high-profile case in Spain raises questions of whether the procedure should only be allowed if there is a terminal illness. Should the medical criteria also include mental distress? And how does mental illness impact on the idea of agency and choice?
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24 Mar 2026 · 29 min
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17 Mar 2026 · 29 min
Are suppression orders out of control in Victoria?
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6 Oct 2026 · 29 min
Rogue OpenAI agents hacked into Medicare — is it a crime?
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29 Sep 2026 · 29 min
Should smart glasses be banned in public places?
Concerns over privacy breaches linked to smart glasses are seeing authorities around Australia move to restrict where they can be used. Western Australia has announced a complete ban in public schools, which takes effect next month. Local councils are also taking action, with the City of Randwick in Sydney investigating whether it can prohibit smart glasses at public beaches. And the Federal Government is considering restriction in Commonwealth workplaces. But how effective is regulation at this level and do we need a different type of legal response? Also in this episode: if you don't pay…
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22 Sep 2026 · 29 min
Is influencing someone to end their life a crime in Australia?
The Victorian government has pledged to implement a raft of reforms around domestic and family violence if it is re-elected in November. One promise is to introduce a new manslaughter offence in cases where a person is found to have taken their own life due to family violence. So, is it currently possible to convict a person of murder or manslaughter if they goad or encourage their partner to die by suicide? This has happened in Britain and the United States. And right now, Adelaide woman Jacinta Ann Drust is facing charges of murder and unlawful killing over the death of her boyfriend…
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15 Sep 2026 · 29 min
The rapid rise of AI use in employment law disputes
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14 Aug 2026
01 | Can a stranger inherit everything you own?
An elderly man goes into respite care and meets a nurse he's never known before. Within days she's bought him a will kit and had a document drawn up that leaves everything to her. He dies weeks later. Was that his clear settled wish, or something else entirely? Proving the difference is where it gets hard. And messy. When it comes to wills, how big an issue are fraud and undue influence? And what sorts of questions arise over how a will is made? Melbourne lawyer and elder financial abuse specialist James Dimond takes us inside these disputes, from a will signed by pressured witnesses to a…
