Teen car chase through mall + Character reference ban for sex offenders
The Briefing29 Sep 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.

Avsnitt(2554)

Joe Biden has announced he won't run in November

Joe Biden has announced he won't run in November

Joe Biden has announced he won't run at this year's 2024 presidential election. It will set off a race for the Democratic nomination - with Biden formally endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in his...

21 Juli 202419min

Frances Rings’ first language is dance

Frances Rings’ first language is dance

For Frances Rings dance is her first language. Since childhood Frances has always know dance would be part of her identity and in 2023 she was appointed the Artistic director of Bangarra Dance Theatre...

19 Juli 202429min

Trump speaks and Biden's last stand: America's crazy week in politics

Trump speaks and Biden's last stand: America's crazy week in politics

It’s been an absolutely batshit crazy week in American politics. Donald Trump has accepted the Republican nomination to be president, days after surviving an attempted assassination. Then, at the Repu...

19 Juli 202417min

Why JFK's hot grandson is Vogue's new political correspondent

Why JFK's hot grandson is Vogue's new political correspondent

Meet Jack Schlossberg, a self-described silly goose, John F. Kennedy’s only grandson, social media sensation and Vogues’ newly appointed political correspondent. So what does this nepo baby from one o...

18 Juli 202422min

If you could get paid leave for period pain, would you take it?

If you could get paid leave for period pain, would you take it?

There are growing calls for Australian women to receive paid menstrual, menopausal and reproductive leave – separate from sick leave. Queensland public servants will receive an extra 10 days of paid l...

18 Juli 202412min

Why star signs are now part of your nightly news bulletin

Why star signs are now part of your nightly news bulletin

Australia's media sector has been rocked by mass sackings over the last month. The culling started at Seven and continued a week later at Nine. Many of those redundancies were in the respective newsro...

17 Juli 202420min

Think before you ink - why the tattoo removal trend is rising

Think before you ink - why the tattoo removal trend is rising

Are you one of the 30% of Aussies who have a tattoo? The majority of those who have one - 57% - are getting their first ink aged 18-24. There's a growing trend of people having their tattoos removed -...

17 Juli 202411min

The bin fire that is the Victorian branch of the CFMEU

The bin fire that is the Victorian branch of the CFMEU

There's drama unfolding with one of the county's most powerful organisations - the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU).Dodgy contracts, bikie infiltration, compromised characters a...

16 Juli 202421min

Populärt inom Politik & nyheter

motiv
aftonbladet-krim
blenda-2
p3-krim
rss-krimstad
fordomspodden
flashback-forever
rss-viva-fotboll
svenska-fall
svd-dokumentara-berattelser-2
rss-sanning-konsekvens
aftonbladet-daily
rss-vad-fan-hande
spar
rss-flodet
olyckan-inifran
rss-krimreportrarna
rss-frandfors-horna
grans
dagens-eko