Rape in Victoria as a crime of absolute liability : a departure from both precedent and progressivism

In recent decades, a disturbing trend has emerged in Victoria and elsewhere that has witnessed the emergence of statutory rules that accord preferential treatment to prosecutors and complainants in instances where allegations of rape are made. This article examines not only the manifestations of such treatment in the form of Victorian crime legislation, but the means by which the statutory crime of rape in Victoria has been transformed into an offence which, though technically one of mens rea, can effectively be prosecuted as an offence of absolute liability. The piece concludes with a discussion of the likely reasons for this trend as well as the implications of allowing such a serious offence to be prosecuted as one of absolute liability.<br /

Solar thermal heating and cooling. A bibliography with abstracts

This bibliographic series cites and abstracts the literature and technical papers on the heating and cooling of buildings with solar thermal energy. Over 650 citations are arranged in the following categories: space heating and cooling systems; space heating and cooling models; building energy conservation; architectural considerations, thermal load computations; thermal load measurements, domestic hot water, solar and atmospheric radiation, swimming pools; and economics

Gestión del patrimonio arqueológico subacuático y costero en los mares de Israel (II): los yacimientos litorales en riesgo

The two articles titled Management of the underwater and coastal archaeological heritage in Israel's seas – parts A and B aim at presenting the diversity, nature and significance of an important cultural resource at risk, namely the underwater and coastal archaeological sites of Israel. Part I introduces the typology of the sites on the Mediterranean coast and the inland seas (The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea). Part II presents the main endangered sites along the Mediterranean coast of Israel, their archaeological and historical significance, the risks they are facing and the measures that have to be taken in order to ensure their long term preservation.Los dos artículos presentados con el título “Gestión del patrimonio arqueológico subacuático y costero en los mares de Israel” apuntan a la diversidad, naturaleza y trascendencia de un importante recurso cultural en riesgo, concretamente los yacimientos arqueológicos submarinos y costeros de Israel. En la primera parte introducíamos la tipología de los asentamientos sobre la costa mediterránea y los mares interiores (el Mar de Galilea y el Mar Muerto). Esta segunda parte presenta los yacimientos más amenazados a lo largo de las costas israelíes del Mediterráneo, su histórica y arqueológica importancia, los riesgos a los que se enfrentan y las medias que deben ser tomadas con objeto de asegurar su preservación a largo plazo

Gestión del patrimonio arqueológico subacuático y costero en los mares de Israel (I)

The Maritime cultural heritage of Israel reflects important chapters in the history of humanity, including the Neolithic revolution and the beginning of agriculture, the emergence of the first empires and the foundation of the three monotheistic religions. Erosion due to sea level rise and human activity is destroying important coastal and underwater archaeological sites. Low levels in the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea exposed many archaeological remains, which are threatened by erosion, treasure hunting and coastal development. Without intensive rescue and protection activities, the valuable cultural maritime heritage will vanish within a few decades. Legal and operational tools are currently applied in order to assure integrated coastal zone management, to control coastal development and to protect the marine cultural resources. Among these are the Antiquities Law, the Planning and Building Law, the Nature and Parks Law and the Law for the Protection of the Coastal Environment. Coastal and underwater sites are mapped and monitored, protected coastal and underwater sites are declared and rescue surveys are carried out in the endangered sites. A national risk assessment document of the coastal and underwater heritage and detailed preservation and protection plans have been prepared. Pilot projects for protecting and preserving the sea walls of Ashkelon, Apollonia and Akko were completed and several damaged harbors in the Sea of Galilee were reconstructed.El patrimonio marítimo cultural de Israel representa un importante capítulo en la historia de la Humanidad, incluyendo la Revolución Neolítica y los inicios de la agricultura, la aparición de los primeros imperios y la fundación de las tres religiones monoteístas. La erosión debida a la subida del nivel del mar y la actividad humana están destruyendo importantes yacimientos arqueológicos costeros y submarinos. La bajada del nivel en el Mar de Galilea y en el Mar Muerto ha expuesto muchos restos arqueológicos amenazados por la erosion, los expoliadores y el desarrollo litoral. Sin un intenso control y sin actividades protectoras se perderá el valioso patrimonio cultural marítimo en pocas décadas. Las herramientas jurídicas y operativas actualmente se están aplicando para proteger la gestión integrada de zonas costeras, para controlar el desarrollo litoral y proteger los recursos culturales marítimos. Entre estas disposiciones se encuentran la Ley de Antigüedades, la Ley de Planificación y Construcción, la Ley de Naturaleza y Parques, y la Ley para la Protección del Medio Ambiente Costero. Los yacimientos litorales y submarinos están cartografiados y supervisados, los protegidos están declarados y las actuaciones de rescate se están produciendo en los yacimientos más amenazados. Se ha elaborado un documento nacional relativo a los riesgos sobre el patrimonio litoral y subacuático, y se han detallado planes para su protección y conservación. Se han culminado los proyectos pilotos para la recuperación de las murallas marítimas de Ascalon, Apolonia y Acco, y varios puertos dañados en el Mar de Galilea se han restaurado

Ignorance of the law as a defence to rape : the destruction of a maxim

In DPP v Morgan, the House of Lords correctly concluded that an accused who entertained a genuine belief that a woman was consenting to carnal knowledge of her person could not be convicted of the common law crime of rape as such a belief and the requisite mens rea to convict were mutually exclusive of one another. Though England and Wales have resiled from this position by virtue of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, s. 1 (b), which allows for conviction upon proof that the accused did not reasonably believe that the complainant was consenting, the Morgan principle has retained its vitality at common law as well as under the various statutory crimes of rape that exist throughout Australia, most notably the provisions of s. 38 of the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic). Despite a long line of Victorian Court of Appeal decisions which have reaffirmed the Morgan principle, the court has construed s. 37AA(b)(ii) of the Act as leaving open the possibility of an acquittal despite the fact that the accused acted with an awareness that one or more factors that are statutorily deemed as negating consent under s. 36(a)-(g) of the Act were operating at the time of his or her sexual penetration; specifically, the court held that the foregoing factors do not necessarily preclude a jury from finding that the accused acted in the genuine belief that the complainant was consenting. This article endeavours to explain how the accused could be aware of such circumstances at the time of penetration, yet still entertain such a belief. The article ultimately concludes that such an anomaly can only be explained through a combination of the poor drafting of s. 37AA(b)(ii) and the court\u27s apparent refusal to follow the longstanding precept that ignorance of the law is never a defence to a crime, ostensibly prompted by its adherence to the cardinal precept that legislation is not to be construed as superfluous.<br /

The chaotic state of the law of rape in Victoria: a mandate for reform

This article is intended as a final commentary and sequel to two earlier articles in this journal that have examined the arcane and circular wording of s. 37AA of the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) and its patent incompatibility with ss 36 and 38 of that Act that define the elements of rape. In particular, this article will revisit many of the essential points raised in the first two articles in order to afford readers with an appropriate backdrop against which the Victorian Court of Appeal&rsquo;s decision in GC v The Queen will be examined. The article concludes with a strenuous recommendation that&nbsp;s. 37AA be repealed or substantially amended in order to comport with&nbsp;ss 36 and 38 as well as the Court of Appeal&rsquo;s decision in NT v The Queen&nbsp;that significantly reshaped the Morgan principle