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Category: In the News

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Trouble in Hobbiton

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

You might have seen some articles in U.S. newspapers last week about the filming of the two Hobbit films in New Zealand.  Director Peter Jackson always intended to make The Lord of the Rings prequels there, but some recent activities of an actors union appeared to have thrown this into doubt and led to a …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

Maybe a Dingo Killed the Baby

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

It’s a phrase that has entered into popular culture and one that people might use to demonstrate the Australian (“Austrayan”) accent but, just as Kirk Lazarus said in Tropic Thunder, “the dingo’s got my baby” (and variations on this quote) really does come from a true story, and a baby really did die.  The cause …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

A Simple Case of “Do the Crime, Do the Time”?

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

People who try to bring illegal drugs into any country are clearly taking a high risk in order to obtain the returns they seek.  In some countries, including a number in Southeast Asia, the stakes are very high indeed, as those caught with drugs may face the death penalty or a considerable number of years …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

Henry VIII is Alive and Well and Living in New Zealand

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog post about the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch, in the Canterbury region of New Zealand, and some of the rules and regulations that seemed to have made things better for people than they might otherwise have been.  The New Zealand Government and Parliament have since tried …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

When the Shaking Stops

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

Residents of Christchurch, the second largest city in New Zealand, continue to have sleepless nights and worry-filled, emotional days as the aftershocks keep coming – nearly a week after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck at 4:35am on Saturday, September 4, 2010.  Apart from all the shaking, there’s also the worry about the amount of time …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

Ease Up on the Drink, New Zealand

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

The title of this post comes from the New Zealand Alcohol Advisory Council’s (ALAC) latest ad campaign targeting the drinking culture.  One of ALAC’s previous campaigns had the punch line “it’s not the drinking – it’s how we’re drinking.”  Anyway, you get the idea – if you need to have ad campaigns telling the country …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

The Case of the Barking Dog

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

In the course of monitoring significant legal developments in the jurisdictions that I cover, I often come across amusing or quirky stories that make me smile, but also make me think (possibly because I’m a total geek…).  I mean, when you analyze or discuss these stories you realize that there might be deeper underlying societal …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

Refugee Law Debated Prior to Aussie Election

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

The Australian federal election is being held on August 21.  The current Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, announced the election on July 17, a couple of weeks after she replaced Kevin Rudd as leader of the Labor Party.  The (very brief) election campaign is in full swing, with various issues coming to the forefront of the …