In March 2025, the High Court of Australia handed down its decision in Commonwealth of Australia v Yunupingu. The case has significant implications for constitutional and native title law. This paper provides an overview of the case and presents its implications. It finds the decision will likely result in additional claims for native title compensation.

The number of young people aged 10 to 13 years found guilty of a criminal offence in NSW fell markedly, following the 2016 High Court of Australia decision RP v R. This paper examines if this decline can be explained by the RP v R decision which clarified the application of doli incapax.

The focus of this chapter is the court administration functions of Australian and State and Territory courts. Data are reported for the Federal Court, the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court, the criminal and civil jurisdictions of the supreme courts, district/county courts, magistrates' courts, coroners' courts and the Family Court of WA.

Key facts: In 2016–17, in the criminal jurisdiction of the supreme, district/county, magistrates’ and children’s courts, approximately 825,202 cases were lodged, and 864,923 cases were finalised. In the civil jurisdiction of these same courts approximately 436,333 cases were lodged and 440,523 cases finalised. In the Australian courts, approximately 121,961 cases were lodged, and 117,027 cases...

This e-brief discusses the High Court’s decision in Brown v Tasmania and its implications for protest law in NSW.