Writer
Greg Barns
Greg Barns SC is National Criminal Justice Spokesman for the Australian Lawyers Alliance
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Dreyfus’ trip to Israel makes a mockery of Labor’s foreign policy
“The role of the attorney-general in Australia, even in these partisan times, is to uphold the rule of law,” as the former Chief Justice Sir Anthony Mason said. So how can it be in any way compatible with that duty for Mark Dreyfus, the current holder of the office, to head to Israel and meet Continue reading »
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Synagogue attack: The unashamed trashing of the rule of law by news outlets
The attack last week on a Melbourne synagogue is undoubtedly a criminal offence. But according to the News Limited media outlets, many in the Jewish community and the broader pro Israel movement, and now the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, it was an act of terrorism. Continue reading »
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“Systemic criminality”: The reality of Israel’s destruction of Gaza
“Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.” That is from the Facebook page of the deputy commander of Israel’s 749 Combat Engineering Battalion (the 749) Lieutenant Colonel Adi Bekore. Did Continue reading »
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Equality under the law: the differing treatment of Hezbollah and Israel in Australia
Last week the federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was asked by a journalist about the process for making Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based political and militant group, a ‘proscribed terrorist organisation’. As is usually the case for a politician caught out because they don’t know the answer, he became aggressive and sought to belittle the journalist. Continue reading »
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Tasmanian Holocaust Centre must reflect the horror of genocide in Palestine
In the past 5 years both the Morrison and Albanese governments have provided funding to enable each state and territory to build, or expand on an existing, Holocaust museums or education centres. The Tasmanian government announced last year it had secured $2m in Commonwealth funding to build a centre at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Continue reading »
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UN Palestine vote: Australia shows it lacks a backbone
Why is it that successive Australian Governments cannot bring themselves to call out Israel for what it is? A state that constantly ignores international law, most recently in the current Gaza conflict where there can be no doubt that war crimes have been, and are being committed against the Palestinian population. What Israel is perpetrating Continue reading »
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Zionist bullying distorts politics, media and education
In addition to physical or psychological abuse, bullies use power in relationships to pressure others to adopt their world views. The bullying may appear in letters, lobbying, radio and television interviews, secret meetings with politicians and business leaders and even in legal action against those who criticise the bullies’ points of view. Continue reading »
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Israel lobby’s attack on Kostakidis threatens everyone’s right to free speech
Mary Kostakidis is one of Australia’s finest journalists, but more than that, she also resolutely stands against oppression and injustice. Continue reading »
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Assange – the aftermath
On March 12 last year, former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr summed up why the Americans were determined to send the now free Julian Assange to a maximum security jail for over 170 years. Continue reading »
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Protecting our citizens from complicity in Israel’s war crimes
Earlier this year we co-authored two op-eds on this site (“The prosecution of Australians complicit in Israel’s crimes in Gaza” (29 February 2024); “Australians at risk if they serve in the IDF” (19 January 2024)) concerning the legal issues that are raised by Australians travelling to Israel to fight with the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). Continue reading »
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US in high-risk legal gamble as court grants Assange leave to appeal extradition
The US is playing a high-risk legal game in refusing to fold its tent and walk away from the prosecution of Australian citizen Julian Assange for exposing US war crimes. Continue reading »
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Over 700 Australian lawyers call for the Australian government to take immediate action to ensure a lasting peace in the Middle East and uphold international law
In another significant show of solidarity by the Australian legal profession, more than 700 Australian lawyers (including practising barristers and solicitors, legal academics and law students) have signed a further letter to the Australian Government calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Continue reading »
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A public interest defence must protect whistleblowers like David McBride
The jailing of military whistleblower David McBride, who exposed alleged war crimes by Australian troops in Afghanistan, for 5 years and 8 months by the ACT Supreme Court shines a light on a number of issues and one of them requires urgent consideration. The need for a public interest defence to protect individuals like McBride. Continue reading »
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Australian politicians lock more people up, for longer
Criminal justice is an area of public policy where the disconnect between evidence based solutions and political responses is depressingly wide. And it is getting worse as both the ALP and the conservative parties respond to what is fast becoming saturation media about, in particular, family or domestic violence and youth crime. Continue reading »
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The Albanese government needs to come clean on its support for Israel’s war crimes
Israel’s crimes against humanity, war crimes and its acts of genocide against the Palestinian people are, without a doubt, the most horrific acts committed by a ‘democracy’ since the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War. Yet despite this fact the Australian government refuses to warn or investigate whether any Australian citizens or companies are Continue reading »
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Traitors in our midst: Australia’s foreign interference laws are a political ruse
Leaving aside the issue of whether ASIO’s announcement that there is a ‘traitor in our midst’ is simply a ploy to get more funds in this year’s Federal Budget (something you can never rule out) why hasn’t ASIO and other security and law enforcement agencies in this country pursued the two greatest practitioners of so Continue reading »
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The prosecution of Australians complicit in Israel’s crimes in Gaza
There has been much talk about nations’ and corporations being complicit in the war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide being committed by Israel in the wake of Hamas’ horrific attacks on October 7. Much of this discussion, and in fact action, has been taken in the context of governments approving the export of arms Continue reading »
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Critical week: Torture, US jail, awaits Julian Assange – act now
In terms of significant dates and milestones in the long running pursuit by the US of publisher and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, this coming week ranks highly. On Tuesday and Wednesday this week a hearing before two judges in the UK’s High Court will hear Assange’s final bid to appeal against extradition to the United Continue reading »
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Australians at risk if they serve in the IDF
Australian citizens are at risk of being prosecuted under Australian law if they commit, or are complicit in crimes being perpetrated by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza. Continue reading »
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Belmarsh tribunal urges Biden to drop Assange charges
Another year passes and Australian citizen, journalist and publisher, Julian Assange is still detained in the UK as the US continues its pursuit of extradition for publishing material over a decade ago which revealed war crimes committed by the US and its allies in Afghanistan and Iraq. The US’ blatant attack on freedom of speech Continue reading »
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Legal case set to expose Australia’s facilitation of war crimes
Is the Albanese government aiding and abetting the Israeli military and intelligence services in actions in Gaza which are serious violations of international human rights laws? Continue reading »
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For Washington, the US-Australia alliance counts for less than nothing
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will have plenty to talk about when he meets with US President Joe Biden this week. The Middle East, China, AUKUS and submarines will no doubt dominate the agenda. But there is one matter in respect of which Mr Albanese should insist on a quick resolution. That is the case of Continue reading »
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Selective enforcer: ICC must warn Israel on crimes against humanity
The International Criminal Court (ICC) faces a test of its credibility in how it monitors and deals with the conduct of Israel as it strikes back against the horrific attacks committed by Hamas. Continue reading »
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Amidst the shattered remnants of an impartial public service
Will the Mike Pezzullo case be a line in the sand? Continue reading »
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Toothless tiger: Human Rights Committee sits helplessly on the sidelines
In 2009, after receiving a report from prominent Catholic priest Frank Brennan which recommended it, the Rudd Labor government abandoned the quest for a national human rights act. Instead it established a parliamentary human rights committee which came into operation in 2011. But, as one might expect, this committee was dead on arrival. It is Continue reading »
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Israel and Australian law on sanctions. Will we act?
The imposition of sanctions on Israel by the Australian government is a logical step now that Foreign Minister Penny Wong has finally bowed to the inevitable in calling Israel’s West Bank settlements ‘illegal’. As Wong told the federal party caucus yesterday, it was time to “strengthen the government’s objection to settlements by affirming that they Continue reading »
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Attorney-General Symes must uphold integrity of Victorian justice system
The Lawyer X scandal is one of the most outrageous examples of the undermining of the rule of law in Australian legal history. What is at stake here is nothing short of confidence in the legal system in Victoria. The Victorian Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes must step up and ensure the integrity of justice in her Continue reading »
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Victoria and Lawyer X
There is something deeply troubling about a democracy when its police are able to get away with acting with complete disregard for the rule of law by adopting an ends justifies the means approach. Continue reading »
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Attorney-Generals criminalising 13 year olds is a national disgrace
The lethargy in lifting the age of criminal responsibility in Australia from 10 to 14 is scandalous given the numbers of vulnerable children caught up in the brutality of the criminal justice system daily. Continue reading »
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The International Criminal Court’s hypocrisy on Putin
The International Criminal Court’s conduct in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, characterised by unusual alacrity for an international legal institution, is in stark contrast to the feet dragging on alleged war crimes by Israel against the Palestinians in 2014. Continue reading »
