On 27 February 2001 the Green MLC Ian Cohen moved a notice of motion to introduce a private members Bill to legalise voluntary euthanasia. The purpose of this paper is to update the legal situation, review recent developments in the euthanasia debate, and to present an overview of the issues involved. Where appropriate, particularly in...

The purpose of this paper is to comment upon the relationship between MPs and copyright law and to analyse the impact of the law of parliamentary privilege upon it. That relationship can be approached from at least three perspectives which can be categorised as the 'governmental', 'parliamentary' and 'private'.

In 1996 the Parliamentary Library Research Service published a Briefing Paper (No 6/1996) on majority jury verdicts. This paper canvassed the arguments for and against majority jury verdicts. The purpose of this update note is to present an overview of the position in other related jurisdictions where jury verdicts in criminal and civil trials are...

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the current debate in NSW about extending police powers to take forensic samples for DNA testing. This debate has intensified over the past few months, due in part to the announcements made by the Police Minister, Hon Paul Whelan MP and the reported comments...

What are the obligations of Australian banks? In addition to the duties they have to their shareholders, do they also have a separate responsibility to the community? Should they consider the needs of the poor, the elderly and those in rural and regional areas who, for one reason or another, may have difficulty accessing banking...