Published by Melbourne Law School
Justice: The law behind the news, a weekly podcast brought to you by Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine.
Listen on Apple Podcasts28 min
Children are hearing about climate change at school and on the news, and rural kids are noticing its changes in their local environments. But how do we have honest conversations with kids about climate change without adding to their increasing climate anxiety? To explain, we are joined by Melbourne Law School's Dr Lily O'Neil and Dr Linden Ashcroft from the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Melbourne. Together, Lily and Linden have created Climate Kids , a YouTube series that brings together researchers across the University of Melbourne to answers kids' climate questions. You can watch episodes from season one of Climate Kids here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhOObpoQndRmgMyR7gOBBIvCPnXVyt_8j New episodes will be released monthly from August 2026. Justice is a podcast of Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we record, publish, work, learn and live .
29 min
Each State and territory has ‘independent’ agencies that are meant to keep governments accountable. But how independent are they really? Deborah Glass OBE, former Victorian Ombudsman and now honorary fellow at Melbourne Law School, has new research on the question. Further reading: There are invisible strings that the powerful use to keep critics at bay: The Age Justice is a podcast of Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we record, publish, work, learn and live .
21 min
False scare campaigns and scams are common on Chinese-language media and social media in Australia, particularly targeting people who are anxious about their residency status. Who is behind it, and what can be done to protect our Chinese-language community? Dr Fan Yang is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Melbourne node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making & Society (ADM+S). Her work focuses on technologies and governance, digital ethics, innovative research methods, migration politics, and postcolonial technoscience. Her doctoral thesis, entitled ‘News Manufactories on WeChat’, provided one of the first insights into the internal operation of WeChat in Australia as a content production platform. Read more of Fan’s work: Contextualizing critical disinformation during the 2023 Voice referendum on WeChat: Manipulating knowledge gaps and whitewashing Indigenous rights Justice is a podcast of Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we record, publish, work, learn and live .
25 min
Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice: a biweekly podcast about the law behind the news. In this episode, Associate Professor Jason Bosland explains what defamation is and why politicians sue over it, updates to Australian defamation law, and why some deserve to succeed in their court cases. Further reading: Melbourne Law School’s Dr Jessica Lake explains what the Higgins v Reynolds ruling tells us about defamation in Australia Cases mentioned in this episode: Reynolds v Higgins (2025) WASC 345 [2022] FCA 1235 - Burston v Hanson Palmer v McGowan (No 6) [2022] FCA 927 Greenwich v Latham [2024] FCA 1050 Hanson-Young v Bauer Media Ltd [2013] NSWSC 1306 Ru ssell v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [2023] FCA 38 Ru ssell v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [2023] FCA 38 Justice is a podcast of Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we record, publish, work, learn and live.
25 min
It has long been a legal truism that the High Court does not have the power to rule on issues of Aboriginal sovereignty, or the right to self-govern. But this idea is based on a legal misunderstanding, argues Associate Professor Olivia Barr. Further reading from this episode: You can read Olivia’s journal article here Read more about the soco-economic benefits of modern treaties in Canada here Read more about Victoria’s first statewide treaty here Read the Treaty of Waitangi here Cases mentioned in this episode: Coe v Commonwealth [1979] HCA 68; (1979) 53 ALJR 403; (1979) 24 ALR 118 (5 April 1979) Mabo v Queensland (No 2) ("Mabo case") [1992] HCA 23; (1992) 175 CLR 1 (3 June 1992) Justice is a podcast of Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we record, publish, work, learn and live .
23 min
This episode contains material some people might find disturbing. Listener discretion is advised. Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice: a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. Should doctors be obliged provide all services that are ethically approved by their colleges and legal under the law, or should they have the right to refuse terminations, assisted dying or any other forms of care on the basis of personal conscience? Professor Julian Savulescu FAHMS is the Chen Su Lan Centennial Professor in Medical Ethics at the National University of Singapore, where he directs the Centre for Biomedical Ethics. He is an award-winning ethicist and moral philosopher, trained in neuroscience, medicine, and philosophy. He is Distinguished Visiting Professorial Fellow at Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Melbourne Law School. Read more about medical ethics here: Coelho, Ramona, et al. Unravelling Maid in Canada . McGill-Queen’s University Press, 15 Apr. 2025, www.mqup.ca/Books/U/Unravelling-MAiD-in-Canada2 . Grant, Isabel, et al. "A Conversation on Feminism, Ableism, and Medical Assistance in Dying." Canadian Journal of Women and the Law , vol. 35 no. 1, 2024, p. 31-72. Project MUSE , https://muse.jhu.edu/article/947747 . Justice is a podcast of Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we record, publish, work, learn and live .
25 min
Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice: a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. New apps make it all too easy for real estate agents to collectintimate information from people applying to rent homes. Ever been asked for your marriage certificate? Or to do a personality quiz? Lina Przhedetsky on the privacy pitfalls. To learn more about the use of digital technologies in the rental application process, take a look at the following links: https://www.ahuri.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/2026-01/AHURI-Final-Report-454-Implications-of-tenant-data-collection-in-housing_protecting-Australian-renters_.pdf https://theconversation.com/what-are-rent-tech-platforms-action-on-reining-in-these-exploitative-tools-is-long-overdue-239602 https://www.choice.com.au/data-protection-and-privacy/data-collection-and-use/how-your-data-is-used/articles/choice-renttech-report-release https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/17/imperfect-match-australian-renters-in-the-dark-over-use-of-data-by-tech-company-snug Justice is a podcast of Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we record, publish, work, learn and live .
23 min
Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice: a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. AI is now listening in in the doctor’s clinic, with products known as ‘AI scribes’ increasingly being used to draft patients’ medical records. This might save doctors time and reduce burnout. But what are the legal implications of this new practice? Are regulators doing enough to make sure AI scribes are safe and fit for purpose? In this episode we hear from Associate Professor Megan Prictor , Co-Director of the Health, Law and Emerging Technologies (HeLex) research centre at Melbourne Law School. Megan has published widely including on dynamic consent, medical consultation recording, data breach notification laws and privacy and confidentiality in healthcare. Read more on AI scribes in healthcare: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-07/ai-scribes-gps-and-hospitals-accuracy-data-breach-risk/105490478 https://theconversation.com/some-clinicians-are-using-ai-to-write-health-records-what-do-you-need-to-know-237762 https://theconversation.com/can-you-say-no-to-your-doctor-using-an-ai-scribe-264701 Justice is a podcast of Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we record, publish, work, learn and live .
25 min
President Trump started the war on Iran without Congressional approval and reissued tariffs after the Supreme Court’s ruling. Some of his political strategists are floating plans to control who can vote in future elections. Is any of this legal? Constitutional Law expert Associate Professor Will Partlett explains. FIND MORE OF WILL'S WORK: Read: Why the Russian Constitution Matters: The Constitutional Dark Arts Read: The People's Guide to the Australian Constitution Follow the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies Justice is a podcast of Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we record, publish, work, learn and live.
20 min
Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice: a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. More than a third of 2800 young Australian workers surveyed reported having been ripped off by employers, according to a new study by Professor John Howe , of Melbourne Law School. They have been underpaid, not paid, forced to pay for equipment or clothing…. What remedies are available, and what reform is needed? You can access the Fair Day's Work portal mentioned in the podcast, here . And you can read more about the project here .
17 min
Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you the last episode of season one of Justice: a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. Half of lawyers surveyed say they endure a poor workplace culture, and their discontent fuels expensive attrition rates. One in ten lawyers plan to leave the profession in the next 12months, one in three want to leave their employer in the next 12 months, and a third say they feel depressed or anxious. What is going wrong inside the profession that holds the rest of us to account? Professor Julian Webb of Melbourne Law School explains the new survey behind these findings. READ MORE ON THE SURVEY OF LAWYERS’ WELLBEING IN THE WORKPLACE: The pay is not worth the stress, research finds, with one in 10 lawyers planning to quit within a year. Lawyer well-being, workplace experiences and ethics: A research report. Thank you for listening, and subscribe to the podcast to stay up-to-date with the release of our second season.
19 min
Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice: a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. Around two-thirds of Australian organisations use artificialintelligence computer programs to recruit new staff. But Dr Natalie Sheard , a researcher with Melbourne Law School, found that there are serious risks that AI used to screen job applicants will discriminate against women, older applicants and minority groups, eliminating them as a prospect before a humanbeing gets a chance to even see their applications. Will it all end in a class action? READ MORE ON AI DISCRIMINATION IN RECRUITMENT: Employment discrimination by algorithm: Can anyone be held accountable? Will AI decide if you get your next job? Without legal regulation, you may never even know Tech companies claim AI can recognise human emotions. But the science doesn’t stack up No notice and no explanation: The incontestability of hiring discrimination by algorithm
21 min
This episode contains material some people might find disturbing. Listener discretion is advised. Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice: a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. More than half of young people are using consensual strangulation during sex (“choking”), but few understand the risks. Should we re-think what it means to consent under the law? Melbourne Law School's Professor Heather Douglas explains her ground-breaking research on this rising and dangerous pastime . If this episode has raised any issues for you, you can contact the Lifeline Australia telephone support service on 13 11 14, or Project Respect on 0477 001 110 by phone call, text or WhatsApp. READ MORE ON SEXUAL STRANGULATION AND CONSENT: More than half of Australian young people are using strangulation during sex: new research . Choking during sex: many young people mistakenly believe it can be done safely, our study shows Choking/Strangulation During Sex: Understanding and negotiating ‘safety’ among 18-35 year old Australians Prevalence of Sexual Strangulation/Choking Among Australian 18-35 -year-olds
19 min
Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice: a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. Australian employers have joined an international legal case that challenges the right of workers to strike. What will it mean for Australian workers if they win? We speak with Professor Sean Cooney of Melbourne Law School, who has written submissions for this globally significant case before the International Court of Justice. READ MORE ON ICJ CASE ON THE RIGHT TO STRIKE: ICJ information on the legal case
22 min
This episode contains material some people might find disturbing. Listener discretion is advised. Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice: a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. Since the camera was invented, men have been misusing women’s images for profit. Copyright, defamation and privacy laws have all been called on to stop it, but AI and 'deep fake' porn is a new frontier. Melbourne Law School researcher Dr Jessica Lake talks about recent cases and the existing law and calls for reforms to better protect women. If this episode has raised any issues for you, you can contact the Lifeline Australia telephone support service on 13 11 14, or Project Respect on 0477 001 110 by phone call, text or WhatsApp. READ MORE ON FAKE PORN: Open Access In the 19th Century, a man was busted for pasting photos of women’s heads on naked bodies. Sound familiar? Privacy and power: A practical look at complex issues Disembodied data and Corporeal Violation: Our gendered privacy law priorities and preoccupations Access restricted The face that launched a thousand lawsuits A history of intellectual property in 50 objects: Kodak camera Deepfake and non-consensual pornography: recent iterations of the gendered battle for rights in a photograph
19 min
Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice: a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. There is a legal vacuum behind attempts to forge a ceasefire inthe wars in Gaza and Ukraine. Does international law have any real power in these times of global turmoil? And how can a ceasefire agreement be enforced when one party is a ‘non-state entity’? Dr Marika Sosnowski from the Peter McMullinCentre on Statelessness at Melbourne Law School explains. READ MORE ON CEASEFIRES: Why did the Israel-Hamas ceasefire fall apart? It was never going to solve the root causes of the conflict Known Unknowns: or the things that you thought you knew about a ceasefire in Gaza that it turns out you did not Ukraine Symposium – Lessons from Syria’s Ceasefires Besiege, bombard, retake: Reconciliation agreements in Syria
22 min
Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice: a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. Patients often want the right to record some consultations, but doctors are not so keen and sometimes refuse to permit it. What does the law say? We talk to Dr Megan Prictor , a Melbourne Law School expert researching the law of privacy. READ MORE ON RECORDING HEALTHCARE CONSULTATIONS: Many Australians are recording their visits to the doctor – some without permission Want to record your doctor’s appointment? Great idea, but first check it’s legal Regulation of consultation audio recording in healthcare How often are Australians recording their healthcare consultations in Australia, and why? An online survey Saving trouble, saving time: the role and impact of healthcare consultation recordings in Australian legal proceedings PODCASTS AND RADIO: Recording healthcare consultations, with Dr Megan Prictor Is it legal to record your doctor’s appointment?
21 min
Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice: a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. President Trump is stress testing the Constitution of the USA inways that have never been seen, drawing on strategies we see in authoritarian countries. Will judges and the courts frustrate his efforts to assume more power than any previous President? We ask constitutional law scholar Associate Professor William Partlett , of Melbourne Law School, to explain. READ MORE ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL DARK ARTS: Why The Russian Constitution Matters: The Constitutional Dark Arts Trump is ruling like a ‘king’, followingthe Putin model. How can he be stopped? Donald Trump insists a ‘strongman’leader will help America. My new book explains why he’s wrong Justice is a podcast of Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne.
22 min
This episode contains material some people might find distressing. Listener discretion is advised. Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice, a weekly podcast about the law behind the news. A 14-year-old boy in the US recently took his own life after an AI chatbot ‘companion’ he created repeatedly entreated him to ‘please come home to me’. What, if anything, can the law do about the dark side of these new computer-based ‘friends’? Australia's leading AI law expert, Professor Jeannie Paterson of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics, explains. If this episode has raised any issues for you, you can contact the Lifeline Australia telephone support service on 13 11 14 . Further reading on AI Companions: What I learnt during two weeks withVida, my AI companion Not all mental health apps are helpful Misleading AI Justice is a podcast of Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne.