Handbook

The Sir Anthony Mason Research Project in Constitutional Law provides a unique opportunity to develop specialist knowledge and skills in constitutional law by supporting a student while completing a research project in this field. The student will be supervised by a staff member of the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law and the project will be assessed by the Director and one other academic member of the Centre (who is not the supervisor).

The student is free to propose their planned project when applying for the internship and this work may involve, for example, research and analysis regarding:

• The work and role of the Australian judiciary, especially the High Court as a decision-making institution and third arm of the national government; 

• Referenda, such as the recognition of local government and of Indigenous Australians in the Australian Constitution;

• Constitutional issues related to refugees and migration;

• Constitutional or parliamentary protection of human rights; or

• Contemporary Australian federalism.

 The student will be selected on the basis of:

• Academic merit assessed over not less than two terms;

•  A Curriculum Vitae; and

•  A written outline (maximum 500 words) of a research project that is (a) topical in light of current developments in the public law field; and (b) displays a solid connection to at least one of the Gilbert + Tobin Centre’s main research areas as defined on its website, www.gtcentre.unsw.edu.au.

The selection will be made by the Director of the Gilbert + Tobin Centre, in consultation with relevant academic staff members about their capacity to supervise particular projects. Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate a sustained and substantial interest in constitutional law.