RLC in the media

RLC's Samantha Lee was a guest on The Drum, speaking alongside journalist Osman Faruqi about concerns that a disproportionate number of COVID-19 fines appear to be being issued in lower socioeconomic areas. The Drum (21 April 2020).

There are calls for more police data and accountability to monitor how authorities are enforcing the coronavirus restrictions in Australia. Jarni Blakkarly reports for SBS News

Police in New South Wales and Victoria have used new laws restricting public movement to fine more than 50 people for reasons including eating a kebab on a bench and sitting in a car. Max Opray reports for The Saturday Paper

NSW police have revealed that all but one strip search lead to the discovery of illicit drugs at an underage music festival in Sydney on the weekend. Angelica Snowden reports for The Australian

One in 10 children at a Sydney under-age music festival faced random drug testing that has been labelled by legal experts “potentially unlawful” and an infringement on civil liberties. Andrew Taylor reports for The Sydney Morning Herald

NSW Police have disproportionately targeted Indigenous children with a secretive blacklist since the year 2000, a two-year investigation has found. Zac Crellin reports for Pedestrian

Justice advocates ask why government didn’t renew contract of head of LECC, who was holding high-profile and potentially embarrassing inquiry. Michael McGowan reports for The Guardian Australia

With the festival season upon us, so too is the debate over pill testing. David Smeidt reports for GQ Magazine

Data published by The Guardian reveals that NSW police performed strip-searches on 344 boys in the last three years (2016-17 to 2018-19). Young boys aged (11 to 17 years) accounted for 3 per cent of searches (344). Michael McGowan reports

A 22-year-old woman was allegedly strip searched in front of a shop window by two male police officers last month. Ugur Nedim and Sonia Hickey report for Sydney Criminal Lawyers