Posts by Stephanie Beckedahl

Pill Testing

As you’re aware, pill testing has been at the forefront of the media over the last few weeks. It comes in the wake of a number of young people dying at festivals from alleged drug overdoses. There has been public outcry, asking the NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, to…

On the spot fines for possession of prohibited drugs

On 25 January 2019, the NSW Government implemented legislation enabling police officers to issue on the spot fines for drug possession offences. What does this mean? Police officers will have the discretion and power to issue a $400 fine to offenders found with illicit drugs in their possession.…

Proposed on the spot fines for low-range drink driving offences

The NSW government recently proposed to give police new powers to issue on-the-spot fines and licence suspensions for first time, low-range drink driving offences. A low-range drink driving offence applies to a driver who has recorded a prescribed concentration of alcohol (PCA) of between 0.05 – 0.08. The…

Digital Driver’s Licences – convenience or concern?

The NSW Parliament recently passed a Bill allowing for Digital Driver’s Licences to be used for proof of identity and proof of age purposes. Driver’s will still be issued with a physical card, however, they will no longer be required to carry it on them if they are…

Supreme Court jurisdiction questioned for hearing bail applications

In the recent decision of Noufl v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW)[i] the Supreme Court ruled it did not have the jurisdiction to hear a bail application while an appeal was pending in the Court of Criminal Appeal. The decision was an appeal against conviction, with the appellant…