PODCAST · society
Not Just a Lawyer
by Sarah Avery
Law and law-adjacent hot topics highlighted or explained for the lay person. Opinions and non-legal interests occasionally featured.
Episodes
-
A call to action
Series Finale (or is it?)
-
UN Human Rights Committee: Australia responsible for children in Nauru regional processing centre
Children trying to seek refuge in Australia have been detained on Nauru. They argue that Australia is still responsible for them. Australia made a carefully worded agreement with Nauru to avoid responsibility. If Australia has no responsibility, Australia says it is not obliged to ensure the…
more -
It was a Nazi salute. But here’s why a Roman salute is not better
Very short, sharp episode about the close link between the Roman Empire and Nazism. Why the “Roman salute” explanation is still scary as heck.
-
Nazis are bad. Fascists are bad.
Billionaires who fail to denounce nazis and fascists are, you guessed it, bad. In Australia, we do not (as far as we know at this stage) have a fascist with overwhelming political power in parliament. But we cannot ignore what is happening in the US. This not-lawyerly episode discusses one…
more -
Spit hoods are back
And as bad as ever. NT reinstating dangerous and degrading practice of using spit hoods, still criminalising children. Reporting from The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/14/northern-territory-spit-hood-ban-lifted-clp-ntwnfb
-
BREAKING NEWS: apprehended bias decision in Drumgold v Board of Enquiry and others
Acknowledgment of Country. CW: the case that started it all is a high-profile sexual assault matter. Breaking news on the ACT Supreme Court’s decision in this highly-publicised, complex and super-interesting matter. I translate from legalese and give cringe-worthy facts their day in the sun, but...
-
Water safety: my number one rescue tip
Acknowledgement of Country. A not-very-lawyerly episode. My swimming teacher experience and coastal upbringing have given me some knowledge, and I share that with you! Disclaimer: I’m not your swimming teacher (see, I’m still lawyerly). Great resources:...
-
Aftermath of shame: referendum 2023
Acknowledgment of Country. Call to action to allies of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander folks: don’t freeze, don’t be silent. VOICE TREATY TRUTH
-
Easy science primer: Kathleen Folbigg’s pardon
Acknowledgement of Country. An easy to understand guide to the science behind Kathleen Folbigg’s pardon. Sources: omim.org and The Guardian at https://amp.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/07/kathleen-folbigg-science-sheds-new-light-on-case-of-mother-convicted-of-murdering-her-children and...
-
A Not Just a Lawyer referral: Kathleen Folbigg discussed on the Guardian’s Full Story podcast
Acknowledgement of Country. Kathleen Folbigg case encounters science. Science is very important. Justice is very important, but I can’t do this issue justice so I refer you here: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/full-story/id1482061243?i=1000612189847
-
VOICE (Voice, Treaty, Truth). Answers to your questions from the ANU
Acknowledgement of Country. Voice, treaty and truth are all important. Referendum on the Voice is imminent, so the Australian National University (ANU) answers some burning questions. Find their answers here: https://www.anu.edu.au/about/strategic-planning/indigenous-voice-to-parliament
-
26 January
Acknowledgment of Country. Voice, Treaty and Truth. Cool stuff happening in Coffs Harbour (Gumbaynggirr Country). To access the Guardian’s podcast with Professor Megan Davis, click here:...
-
Is Google a defamer?
Acknowledgement of Country. A short, sharp explainer of an interesting High Court decision about defamation. Google LLC v Defteros [2022] HCA 27. Credit to Parisa Hart for her article in Ethos, Summer 2022
-
PRIMER: what is (and what will soon not be) the AAT?
Acknowledgment of Country. What is the AAT? What’s all the fuss?
-
2022: Reflections from the obstinately self-reliant
Acknowledgement of Country. I share the most important thing I have learned this year. On a tangentially-related note, I encourage you to donate life via organ and tissue donation here: https://www.donatelife.gov.au
-
What do you get for the jury who has everything?
Acknowledgement of Country. Jury can’t make up its mind? Has all the facts and all the law but still needs more? Shazam! They need a Black direction, courtesy of the High Court of Australia (Black v The Queen [1993] HCA 71; 179 CLR 44). Bonus movie review: Joh’s Jury. Enjoy, or get frustrated...
-
The case of the disobedient juror
Acknowledgement of Country. The sexual assault trial DPP v Lehrmann has been aborted, because a juror disobeyed the Chief Judge’s direction. Find out more here: https://www.courts.act.gov.au/supreme/judgments/director-of-public-prosecutions-v-lehrmann-no-5
-
King’s Counsel, and the Cab Rank Rule
Acknowledgement of Country. What is a King’s Counsel? And a refresher on the cab rank rule.
-
Spit hoods? Safety hoods? No, cruelty hoods.
Acknowledgement of Country. Very short update on spit hoods and QLD.
-
BREAKING NEWS: Bernard COLLAERY prosecution dropped
Acknowledgement of Country and NAIDOC week. Update and breaking news: Commonwealth Attorney-General decides to stop prosecution of Bernard Collaery. Issues include open justice & rule of law. See previous episodes Season 2, 22 & Season 2, 44 for important background. Australian Financial Review...
-
I’M BACK, AND NOW WE WILL HAVE RIGHTS AND REMEDIES
Acknowledgment of Country this NAIDOC Week. Update on the “no rights without remedy” petition. Spoiler: there will be remedies! Except, maybe, if the ACT police are allegedly involved. Here’s the report:...
-
What are human rights without a remedy?
Acknowledgement of Country. If we can’t enforce our rights, what do they really mean? A petition before the ACT Legislative Assembly seeks to give them meaning. If you want to hear an in-depth forum on International Human Rights Day (10 December 2021), which is online and free, register here:...
-
Case theory and defamation: live issues in recent media reporting about William Tyrrell
Acknowledgement of Country. Quick recap on Case Theory (please see Season 1, Episode 22) and past defamation episodes (please see Season 2, Episodes 20 and 34). Discussion of how these 2 issues are arising in the media coverage of new NSW police efforts to work out what happened to William…
more -
REFERRAL: do you have, or are you, a pain in the neck?
Acknowledgment of Country. Interested in the biopsychosocial model of health? Or, maybe you would be if I broke it down for you into a word of less than 6 or 7 syllables? Get put off by words that sound impressive but are too complex? I know I am! Listen to me explain what “biopsychosocial” means...
-
The LAWYER PROJECT Report
Acknowledgement of Country. Hear all about the Law Council of Australia’s Lawyer Project Report. I provide and easy to understand summary of the 56 page report. The full report can be found here:...
-
An unusual appeal
Acknowledgement of Country. Today I talk about an appeal that focuses on one useful example of what procedural fairness looks like. What went wrong? How was it dealt with? (Hint: unusually) Adams v Navaratnam [2021] ACTSC 256. See the full judgment here:...
-
HAPPY INTERSEX DAY OF AWARENESS 2021
Content warning: a brief mention of non-consensual medical treatment. Acknowledgement of Country. Great work by A Gender Agenda and SHFPACT on their excellent resource “Including Intersex” which can be found here:...
-
Happy International Pronoun Day!
Acknowledgement of Country. What is a pronoun? How do I use them? Why should I use these “new” pronouns? Answer: you’ll help a non-binary fairy get their wings. How can I practice them? Hint: https://pronouns.minus18.org.au
-
How to get a good education at google university aka the internet
Acknowledgement of Country. Have you heard of CrashCourse? Now you have. Plus, a fun science fact about something you do all the time - breathing! Get into it! Or, keep at it, I hope you’re already breathing and continue to do so!
-
BREAKING NEWS: ACT Court of Appeal Decision in Collaery v The Queen (No 2) - SECRECY vs OPEN JUSTICE
Acknowledgement of Country. BREAKING NEWS in this matter today, 6 Oct 2021. See the judgement summary here: https://www.courts.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1870627/Collaery-v-The-Queen-Judgment-Summary.pdf
-
PRIMER: Where there’s a WILL, there’s a way
Acknowledgement of Country. All about Wills and Enduring Powers of Attorney, and why you need them now! Legal information to help you understand how to give yourself and your loved ones peace of mind at a really difficult time (that’s a euphemism for when you die). And a terrible (but one of my...
-
Death by police pursuit - the senseless death of Raymond Noel
Acknowledgement of Country. A Victorian Coroner has found that Raymond Noel died during an unjustified and frightening police pursuit. This is another senseless death of an Aboriginal man in connection with the criminal justice system.
-
What is a ZERO DAY, and why should you drop everything and update your apple software right now?
Read the title, do it, then come back. Acknowledgement of Country. Book recommendation: Countdown to Zero Day by Kim Zetter. Podcast recommendation: the Darknet Diaries. Seriously go update stuff now!
-
Mental Health First Aid!
Acknowledgement of Country. Have you always wondered what to expect from a Mental Health First Aid course? Wonder no more! You can find one here: www.mhfa.com.au If you need to chat to someone right now, Lifeline is available on 13 11 14.
-
Equal Pay Day & Merger of Family Court and Federal Circuit Court
Acknowledgment of Country. Equal Pay Day and what we still need to measure. Merger of the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court on 1 September 2021 - what the average person in the street needs to know.
-
Have you emailed your tree lately?
Acknowledgement of Country. Emailing plants. Les-fic. Need I say more?
-
Rock-solid or built on sand: the implied freedom of political communication
Acknowledgement of Country. A chat about the High Court decision in LibertyWorks Inc v Commonwealth of Australia [2021] HCA 18. I am greatly indebted to Dr Michelle Sharpe for her article in the Law Society of NSW Journal, Issue 80, for breaking this case down. I have built on her work to…
more -
Recruiting Judges in the ACT
Acknowledgement of Country. A short episode about recruiting Judges!
-
BONUS EPISODE: I love roller derby and I’m playing on 7 August 2021!
Acknowledgement of Country. A snippet of information about the game of roller derby & why I love it. Sarah Avery Legal Practice is a proud sponsor of Canberra Roller Derby League.
-
An update on defamation law reform!
Acknowledgement of Country. Picking up where episode 20 of season 2 left off (why can politicians sue for defamation) I chat about recent changes to defamation law, and then send you off to listen to law-talking folks with greater knowledge!
-
Podcast referral: Season 3, Episode 9 of I Catch Killers
Acknowledgement of Country. Be-on-the-lookout-for-copaganda-warning. Referral to a really interesting episode where forensic psychologist Dr Sarah Yule talks about how forensic psychology can help with criminal investigations. She’s refreshingly down to earth and frank about the limitations of…
more -
COVID 19 and Aboriginal deaths (and misery) in custody
Acknowledgment of Country. Content warning: deaths in custody & suicide. Lifeline: 131114. COVID 19 restrictions are linked to a recent death in custody, and are creating even more punishing conditions for prisoners.
-
NAIDOC WEEK #2: go and listen to Dr Chelsea Watego. NOW, please.
Content warning: domestic violence, racism, sexism. Acknowledgement of Country. I give a few definitions and give you useful background on my female clients’ experience with prosecution for domestic violence. Then you will get cracking over to this interview with Dr Chelsea Watego from 6 July…
more -
NAIDOC Week 2021 “Heal Country”
Acknowledgement of Country. NAIDOC Week 2021. Mabo decision: http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/HCA/1992/23.html
-
PRIMER: what is a private prosecution?
Acknowledgement of Country. What is a private prosecution? Question: Can I bring one? Answer: probably. Question: Should I? Answer: I can’t give you legal advice, but probably not! As with everything, it depends.
-
Bonus episode: experts and OMCGs
Acknowledgement of Country. This bonus episode augments episode 27, and points you to the parts of the judgment that deal with expert OMCG evidence.
-
Talking to myself: a Judge gives himself jury directions
Acknowledgement of Country. This episode seizes upon a unique opportunity to hear the directions that a Judge usually gives to a jury. Because of the COVID emergency, the matter I talk about, which would usually be heard by a jury, was heard by a Judge. That Judge, Justice Mossop of the ACT…
more -
Breaking news: ROBODEBT class action
Acknowledgment of Country. Content warning: human suffering and suicide. Lifeline 131114. Hear what Justice Murphy of the Federal Court of Australia had to say about Robodebt on 11 June 2021. Spoiler, it’s not in any way like Robocop. If you are here for effective robotic law enforcement, these…
more -
Breaking news: 23 prominent NSW Barristers speak out in support of affirmative consent laws
Content warning: sexual assault. Acknowledgement of Country. Update on where NSW’s barristers stand on proposed consent laws reforms. Pop back to episode 23 for context! Lifeline: 131114.
-
PRIMER: who is an asylum seeker and who is a refugee?
Acknowledgement of Country. Primer: who is an asylum seeker and who is a refugee? Sources include Refugee Council of Australia, Red Cross, and Australian Parliamentary Library.
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
TOPICS IN THIS SHOW
Loading reviews...
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Not Just a Lawyer have?
Not Just a Lawyer currently has 138 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Not Just a Lawyer about?
Law and law-adjacent hot topics highlighted or explained for the lay person. Opinions and non-legal interests occasionally featured.
How often does Not Just a Lawyer release new episodes?
Not Just a Lawyer publishes regularly with 138 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Not Just a Lawyer?
You can listen to Not Just a Lawyer on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Not Just a Lawyer?
Not Just a Lawyer is created and hosted by Sarah Avery.
URL copied to clipboard!