News

On 7 August 2019, the High Court delivered judgment in Comcare v Banerji, allowing the appeal by Comcare against a finding by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal that provisions of the Public Service Act 1999 (Cth) imposed an unjustified burden on the implied freedom of political communication.

The defendant was charged with three breaches of s 271(1) of the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996 for obtaining, possessing and selling nicotine without an approval and faced a maximum penalty of $31,332.00.

The charges were brought following the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s premises whereby over 2,160 bottles of liquid containing nicotine for use in e-cigarette products were seized. The size of the bottles ranged from 5ml to 50ml. Several 500ml bottles of pure liquid nicotine were also seized. The defendant admitted to obtaining liquid nicotine from a source in China and selling it in e-cigarette products via an online business.

His Excellency the Governor has approved the appointment of Mr Gavin Alexander Thompson QC as the Solicitor-General on and from 11 April 2019 to and including 10 April 2024.

The government released the 2019-20 Australian Government budget on Tuesday, 2 April 2019.

In response to recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, the National Redress Scheme has been created.