Handbook

This course will provide students with the opportunity to study and research current and topical constitutional issues. Building on their understanding of the field through completion of the public law core courses up to and including LAWS2150, students will conduct in depth examination of cases that have been recently decided by the High Court of Australia, or are currently before the Court. The cases will be selected for their constitutional significance with a focus on the following core themes: federalism; executive power and responsible government; representative government; judicial independence; and rights and freedoms. Students will develop their doctrinal knowledge in the field, their skills of statutory interpretation and case analysis, and their ability to evaluate the impact of constitutional law upon governance and public policy in the Australian federation. This course is useful for students interested in constitutional law or seeking to gain broader analytical skills with legal texts.

The course commences with dedicated classes on the Role of the High Court and the Constitution; A Profile of the Current Justices; and Critical Case Analysis: Modelling and Discussion. In later weeks of the course, there will be a class on Constitutional Litigation featuring advocates from the bar and/or government as guest speakers.