Teen car chase through mall + Character reference ban for sex offenders
The Briefing29 Syys 2025

Teen car chase through mall + Character reference ban for sex offenders

Calls are mounting to abolish the use of character references in court sentencing, following Queensland’s recent legislation restricting their use in cases involving convicted sex offenders.

Character references have long played a controversial role in high-profile cases, including when former Prime Minister John Howard gave one to Cardinal George Pell, describing him as ‘a person of both high intelligence and exemplary character’. More recently in the case of paedophile Ashley Paul Griffith who has pleaded guilty to over 300 charges, also benefited from character references.

In this episode of The Briefing Helen Smith, is joined by victim-survivor Josh Byrnes, the ACT representative from Your Reference Ain’t Relevant campaign, to explain how character evidence works in court and why advocates want them abolished.

Afternoon headlines: Teens arrested in Melbourne CBD after a police pursuit, Opposition leader Sussan Ley calls for independent inquiry into the 'entire triple-zero ecosystem' and Bad Bunny to headline 2026 Super Bowl half-time show

Further listening: How to stop teen machete murders

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @thebriefingpod
Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jaksot(2529)

Royal Commission into veterans' deaths: a vet’s view

Royal Commission into veterans' deaths: a vet’s view

The Prime Minister has announced a Royal Commission into veterans’ suicide. Will it be enough to stem the number of returned servicemen and women taking their own lives? We’re joined by Heston Rus...

20 Huhti 202124min

The Briefing's FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

The Briefing's FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

The Briefing kicked off on April 20, 2020, amid a global pandemic. No one was sure what the future would look like. Many of us were working from home for the first time, our computers perched on box...

19 Huhti 202124min

Dr Abby: An Aussie behind the Mars rover

Dr Abby: An Aussie behind the Mars rover

Did you know an Australian is leading one of the teams behind the Mars rover? Australian geologist Dr Abigail Allwood is the first woman and the first Australian to ever be a principal investigato...

18 Huhti 202120min

The Weekend Briefing with Benjamin Law

The Weekend Briefing with Benjamin Law

Jamila Rizvi sits down with Benjamin Law, a man of many talents in the Australian media industry. He is the creator and writer of SBS’s award-winning ‘The Family Law’ and the maker and subject of the ...

16 Huhti 202124min

Minneapolis erupts: the Derek Chauvin murder trial

Minneapolis erupts: the Derek Chauvin murder trial

Are we witnessing another big flashpoint for the BLM protests...? When George Floyd was killed by a police officer last year... it sparked that wave of protests around the world including here in Aus...

15 Huhti 202123min

Jewish female resistance fighters in Hitler's WWII ghettos

Jewish female resistance fighters in Hitler's WWII ghettos

Over the last two months here in Australia there’s been a number of sexual abuse and harassment scandals that have forced a rethink about the way women are treated in our society. Right in the midd...

14 Huhti 202121min

30 years since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody: what have we learned?

30 years since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody: what have we learned?

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the final report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, created by the Hawke Government in 1987. We’re joined by Warren Mundine... former ...

13 Huhti 202119min

Paramedics: their workload is putting lives at risk

Paramedics: their workload is putting lives at risk

A listener wrote to say Victorian paramedics are spending hours waiting outside emergency departments rather than back on the road responding to more emergencies. This is not a problem affecting only ...

12 Huhti 202119min

Suosittua kategoriassa Politiikka ja uutiset

aikalisa
rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
tervo-halme
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
politiikan-puskaradio
rss-vaalirankkurit-podcast
viisupodi
rss-podme-livebox
otetaan-yhdet
et-sa-noin-voi-sanoo-esittaa
rss-tasta-on-kyse-ivan-puopolo-verkkouutiset
rss-asiastudio
the-ulkopolitist
mtv-uutiset-polloraati
rss-kaikki-uusiksi
rss-hyvaa-huomenta-bryssel
rss-merja-mahkan-rahat
rss-kuka-mina-olen
rss-raha-talous-ja-politiikka
rss-sanna-ukkola-show-verkkouutiset