This is so wrong to me….  

They have rules here about excessive force. For example, if somebody comes at you with their fists, you can't shoot them. Although you could certainly argue that if a large man came at a small woman with his fists, she was in enough danger that she needed the gun. In your example, if the burglar was on the property and the son came upon him and the robber didn't offer any resistance,the son couldn't attack him. Don't know what the situation was here. I think if the thief attacked first or resisted in any way, the son was more than justified.

hi paula I do think some of our laws here in the US are screwed up'
as if you kill the intruder you will be in trouble, but am not sure if it shows that he was trying to kill you and you just saved your own life that they would charge the homeowner with anything. You are so right, we should have the right to defend our home against intruders, they are the criminals not the person who has a right to be there. we do need some changes in our laws. I do not think an intruder who falls and injures himself orherself on your property has any rights at all as he or she is in a criminal act. If they had not trespassed in the first place they would not have injured themselves.

I think that if you are protecting your land,home or your stuff you own then if anything should happen it should only be self defense it used to be..now you got to many lawyers in the mix claiming undue trauma for their clients..what about the trauma of the people who come home find their stuff messed with, things being stolen..some priceless heirlooms or things with sentimental value stuff that can't be replaced...What do we have to do have signs in our yards? That say Warning if you think to break in or steal or damage anything on this property you will shot at or popped on the head with a bat..please be warned..this is a warning..

Australia is known to be a very systematic country but am surprise by how their law seems to be loop-sided. It is like telling someone not to react when attacked. It is more dangerous when a person is armed when they on our properties. What assurance do I get from the law that I will not been harmed when I caught a burglar in my house and watch him stealing without reacting to stop him. A burglar caught in the act will be shocked and possibly finish me on the spot to avoid evidence. I will be left dead and he goes scot free! Though I shouldn't take the law into my own hands but I have to act for self defense to protect myself first and to stop the burglar from carting away my valuables. The law should be clear on this and not let the distress party suffer further under the law.

In my country we have the rights to manhandle a robber caught on our property and the law is always quite lenient towards the victim of robbery. If it is so unfortunate that the robber is killed during the scuffle then the law apply the appropriate sections which normally is not too harsh.. likely being fined or a short stint in prison. This is only to satisfy, maybe, the grieving family of the dead robber.

This is not new.
Those laws have been in place for over 20 years.
There are so many things wrong with Australian laws, that I would not know where to begin.

But in regard to your case...
For instance, if you see someone breaking into your car, you must sit there and watch him drive away.

The excuse is, that he might hurt you if you try to stop him.
But the real reason is, that he is only stealing your car because he is a victim of society and cannot afford to buy his own car.
So, if you were to stop him, and he hurts you, the law would be forced to arrest him and send him to jail for hurting you.
And the law does not want to have to send a victim of society to jail.
What the law says "You got a car insurance, use it!".

You cannot afford a car insurance? Tough! Work harder!
That way you will pay more taxes by earning more money.
And the more cars are stolen, the bigger premiums the insurance company can charge.

Meanwhile the thief is driving around in a Subaru which cost him nothing. When he runs out of petrol, he steals another one.

I have heard of this law before and I agree that it is wrong. If someone comes into my home, then I am going to defend it and my family. If they are going to attack me, then I will attack them back with anything I can.

I have heard stories about people cutting themselves on a broken window as they have been climbing through it to burgle a home and then suing the owner of the house. I am not 100% certain whether that is a true story or not, but nothing would surprise me these days!

Hi Paula
What a horror story..that is typical, isn't it?
That poor boy doing the right thing and the suffering now that family went through because of that no good criminal!
Ah, isn't it always the way? The evil sit back and grin, whilst the good people in this world are judged.
What? I think Aussie lawmakers need to stop drinking and drugging for that must be what they are doing..you are right on the money, how can you defend your home then?

The laws are not always fair. A cop in my parents old neighborhood recommended killing the perp. That way it is your word against a dead guys. Dead people can't talk. If you just hurt him, he can make up all kinds of stories.

These are laws and behind every law, the human right commission is standing with the accused. They want to make sure that innocent people must not get any prison or something like that.

But this law went over my head my friend! I started thinking by putting me in place of the man who fought the robber. I must not think that I am protecting that guy, I must be protecting my house and if the law is all with robber then how is it possible that I can do it with 100% success!

I want anyone to come up here and give any valid reason in favor of this law!

The laws are simular here in the states. There is a law that states that you can use 'reasonable" force to detain or stop a suspect from harming you, but the complicated part of it is this... the police have the job of determining weather your actions are lawful. Complicated.

But, in a way I can understand where the others are coming from to be quite honest. as far as your laws I mean. Proving that the person was in your home isn't that difficult, but they feel the need to draw the line somewhere. Life isn't always fair, but that's just how it is unfair.