Greg Barns
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Victoria and Lawyer X
12th Jul 2023‘Confidence in the rule of law, in ensuring police act within the law, and that serious wrongdoing by public officials, including police, will be uncovered and punished, is essential in a democracy,’ writes Greg Barns SC, dismayed by the latest development in the Lawyer X scandal.
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Jailing your way out of crime does not work: ALA
30th Mar 2023The bail law reforms that passed parliament in the Northern Territory yesterday will not work to reduce crime, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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‘Poccum’s Law’ bail reform urgently needed to help prevent further tragedy
22nd Mar 2023The ‘Poccum’s Law’ bail reforms proposed today for Victoria are urgently needed and will work to keep people from unnecessary and inappropriate imprisonment.
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Bail reform urgently needed but must give full discretion to the courts
5th Mar 2023Victorian Attorney-General Jacelyn Symes proposed bail reforms announced today are welcome but there needs to be wholesale bail law reform says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Children and the justice system
8th Sep 2022'Only five years after the landmark Royal Commission on Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse exposed the shocking abuse of children and young people across this nation over decades, one is tempted to say plus ça change', writes Greg Barns SC.
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Djokovic case highlights Australia’s arbitrary and unfair border policies
14th Jan 2022The decision today to cancel Novak Djokovic’s visa highlights how arbitrary Australia’s border policies and immigration decisions are, say lawyers.
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Don Dale ruling a strong message against use of force on children
11th Jun 2020Greg Barns discusses the High Court’s decision, on 3 June, that the use of tear gas on four youths at the NT’s Don Dale detention centre was unlawful. He explores the implications of this decision, suggesting that it illustrates the need for discussion about changing the culture of dealing with young people who intersect with the criminal justice system.
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Governments face a reckoning in the courts over climate change failure
9th Jan 2020In the midst of the bushfire catastrophe in Australia and in the shadow of the failure of successive governments to act on warnings by scientists, Greg Barns SC argues that it will only be a matter of time before the courts are forced to step in as they have done with Big Tobacco and Big Pharma.
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Cannabis bans are ignored — so ditch the law and save money
14th Nov 2019Greg Barns welcomes the ACT government decriminalising cannabis possession, and calls for cannabis law reform across Australia.
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ALA calls for Collaery prosecution to be dropped
29th Aug 2019The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) is calling for the prosecution of Mr Bernard Collaery to be dropped, amidst increasing public outrage both in Australia and overseas.
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A free press and freedom of speech are fragile rights
13th Jun 2019Greg Barns reflects on last week's police raids of the homes and workplaces of journalists and what this could mean for freedom of speech and freedom of the media.
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A public register of child sex offenders will do more harm than good
18th Apr 2019Greg Barns argues against Peter Dutton's proposal to establish a National Public Register of Child Sex Offenders.
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Canadian court ruling confirms solitary confinement is a ‘cruel and unusual’ punishment
28th Mar 2019A Canadian court ruling this week which will allow compensation to be paid to prisoners who were placed in solitary confinement for long periods of time could have ramifications for the Australian prison system, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
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Human rights protections must be part of national security review
21st Jul 2017Federal government proposals to combine Australian security agencies into a single ‘national security super-agency’ must also include strengthened human rights protections for all people in Australia, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Terror law arms race will not increase safety
13th Jun 2017Introducing ever-more draconian anti-terror legislation will not make Australians safer and may actually increase the risk of another terror incident, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Lawyers welcome damning report from offshore detention inquiry
21st Apr 2017A Senate Report stating that there is an “unacceptable lack of accountability and transparency” and a “culture of secrecy” on Nauru and Manus Island was released today.
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Lawyers concerned for health of PNG detainee
20th Apr 2017The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today expressed serious concerns regarding the health of an asylum seeker in PNG who has had his refugee application rejected.
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Racial discrimination laws no threat to free speech
28th Feb 2017A review into Australia’s Racial Discrimination Act has shown that the country’s racial discrimination laws are working well and that there is no reason to alter the current legislation, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Continuing Detention Orders: When courts try to predict the future, we
21st Nov 2016Anna Talbot and Greg Barns discuss continuing detention orders and the legal twilight zone that occurs when courts try to predict the future.
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Lawyers condemn plans to formalise arbitrary detention in Australia
4th Nov 2016The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security has today published a report recommending that Australia adopt the most draconian counter-terrorism laws in the world, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.
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Evidence shows crimes committed by our government on Nauru and Manus
26th Oct 2016Evidence of crimes committed by the Turnbull Government on Manus and Nauru is compelling, say Greg Barns and Anna Talbot from the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Australia - A refugee policy to condemn not replicate
12th Oct 2016At the UN Refugee Summit in NY Australia’s Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, stood in front of world leaders and claimed his government’s refugee policy was the best in the world. But many people in Australia will tell you that Mr Turnbull’s boasting was misplaced.
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UN Refugee Summit NY: Turnbull breaks commitments
29th Sep 2016Anna Talbot and Greg Barns report on the UN Refugee Summit in New York and why the Turnbull Government's current approach breaks our commitment to the UN Refugee Convention.
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ALA demands Comcare prosecute over Nauru
18th Aug 2016With the lid lifted on what the BBC refers to as "Australia's Guantanamo Bay", past abuses and workplace safety incidents on Nauru need to be prosecuted by Comcare, writes Anna Talbot and Greg Barns on behalf of the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Martin's resignation and the NT Royal Commission
5th Aug 2016Martin's resignation signals a chance for the NT youth detention Royal Commission to maintain integrity and effect real change, writes Anna Talbot and Greg Barns on behalf of the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
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Nice attacks: Accuracy is important to understand this crime
28th Jul 2016WHAT HAPPENED in Nice on Bastille Day last week was awful in the true sense of that word. But do the actions of Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel who drove a truck through crowds celebrating the national day, killing 84 and injuring many more, constitute a terrorist attack, as the media and political class widely assumes? The sad reality is that no one knows yet why this tragedy happened. We may never know — he was shot dead to stop him from causing more mayhem. Islamic State have claimed responsibility, but there is no evidence that the attacker had any connections with the terrorist organisation.
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Royal Commission terms of reference a missed opportunity - lawyers
28th Jul 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance said today that the Turnbull Government had missed a once in a generation opportunity to deal with the inherent racism of the Australian legal system towards Indigenous people.
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High Court challenge to secrecy laws welcomed by lawyers
27th Jul 2016The Australian Border Force Act 2015 (Cth) undermines our constitutional freedoms. The Australian Lawyers Alliance supports Doctors for Refugees and Fitzroy Legal Service bringing this problem to the High Court.
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ALA welcomes Royal Commission announcement into children in detention
26th Jul 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today offered its strong support for the announcement of a Royal Commission into juvenile detention, following reports of appalling and sickening torture and ill treatment within juvenile detention in the Northern Territory.
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MEDIA ALERT: Lawyers oppose proposed changes to terror laws
25th Jul 2016The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) opposes the Turnbull Governments proposed preventative detention for terrorism offenders.
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Imprisoning mentally ill asylum seekers suggests offences committed
16th Jun 2016Reports that a mentally ill detainee on Manus Island was sent to prison instead of receiving medical treatment indicates that workplace health and safety law continues to be flouted in immigration detention.
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High Court terrorism ruling points to need for Constitutional reform
15th Jun 2016The High Court today ruled that a defendant charged with Commonwealth terrorism offences cannot opt for a trial by judge alone in the New South Wales Supreme Court.
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Comcare inaction on detention centre abuse shows need for law reform
8th Jun 2016Widespread sexual and physical abuse, self-harm, suicide attempts and deaths in immigration detention are not being adequately investigated, pointing to a need for legislative reform, according to a report released by the ALA this week.
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Immigration detention unsafe workplaces: ALA Report
6th Jun 2016Immigration detention facilities are unsafe workplaces, ALA Report finds.
The Australian Lawyers Alliance (‘ALA’) is today releasing a ground-breaking 150-page report, Untold damage: workplace health and safety in immigration detention under the Work, Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth), (‘WHS Act’).
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Raising the age of criminal responsibility to 12 will not help: must be 14
Victoria must follow internationally accepted human rights standards and raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14.
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