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Dechlan Brennan

Dechlan Brennan

Dechlan Brennan is a Melbourne-based writer, specializing in Australian and Indo-Pacific politics as well as Indigenous affairs.

Alongside his work for the Diplomat, Dechlan has been featured in Vice, The Saturday Paper, and Umbrella News and a host of other publications, as well as appearing on the 7AM podcast.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts (International Relations/History) from Macquarie University and is currently enrolled in a post-graduate diploma of Journalism at RMIT

Follow him on Twitter: @allhandzon

Posts by Dechlan Brennan
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February 15, 2023

Bail Law Reform Urgently Needed in Victoria to Stem Deaths in Custody

By Dechlan Brennan
Veronica Nelson, who died in police custody in 2020 after being denied bail, was subject to “cruel and degrading treatment,” a coroner's report concluded.
January 17, 2023

The Fight to Raise Australia’s Age of Criminal Responsibility

By Dechlan Brennan
At 12, an Australian child “cannot lawfully sign onto Facebook but can be questioned, arrested, detained, and imprisoned.”

January 10, 2023

Under New Leadership, What’s Next for Fiji?

By Dechlan Brennan
After 16 years with Frank Bainimarama at the helm, Fiji faces myriad challenges as Sitiveni Rabuka takes over.

December 14, 2022

New South Wales’ Pandemic Fines Shed Light on Policing Problems

By Dechlan Brennan
The NSW government’s “law and order” response to the COVID-19 pandemic led to significant fines on those least able to pay up.

December 09, 2022

Vanuatu Government Struggling Back Online After Cyberattack

By Dechlan Brennan
The small Pacific Island nation is still recovering from a suspected cyberattack in November, underscoring vulnerabilities across the region.
November 19, 2022

2 State Governments in Australia Block UN Visits to Prisons

By Dechlan Brennan
The gap between how human rights groups view incarcerated people, and how governments in Australia view them, continues to be wide. 

November 17, 2022

Where is Bougainville on the Path to Independence?

By Dechlan Brennan
After seeing overwhelming support for Bougainville independence in a 2019 referendum, there is some frustration over perceived foot-dragging by PNG.
October 26, 2022

Murder of Indigenous Teenager in Western Australia Brings Despair, Deja Vu

By Dechlan Brennan
The murder of 15-year-old Cassius Turvey is not just a tragedy; “sadly, it is a pattern.”

October 21, 2022

Australia No Longer Recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital

By Dechlan Brennan
The move to overturn the Morrison government's 2018 decision angered Zionist groups but was cheered by Australian Palestinians.

October 07, 2022

How Western Australia Criminalizes Indigenous Children

By Dechlan Brennan
The state’s disturbingly high rate of Indigenous incarceration is a direct result of punitive measures that push people – including minors – into the prison system.

September 16, 2022

After Queen’s Passing, Australia Debates How to Move on From Colonial Wrongs

By Dechlan Brennan
In addition to the perennial debate over becoming a republic, Australia is also considering adding an Indigenous voice to Parliament.
March 22, 2022

Why Australia’s Indigenous People Fear the Police

By Dechlan Brennan
Thirty years after a landmark report on inequality, Australia’s justice system remains plagued by structural racism.

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