This course will introduce students to the core concepts, rules and procedures of public law, namely the legal system that governs relationships between the state on the one hand and individuals on the other as well as the interactions between different branches and levels of government.
Traversing traditional divides, this course will examine together the basics of constitutional and administrative law with a view to drawing out both their similarities and differences. Students will focus on Australian public law as a unique system that combines elements of both the UK and the US systems of government (often referred to as ‘Washminster’). Students will examine the interactions between different levels of government (federal, state, territory) and different branches of government (legislative, executive, judicial) with a view to understanding the evolution and dynamic character of these relations.
To do so, Australian public law will be contextualised both in relation to competing philosophies that animate or seek to explain public law (liberalism, egalitarianism, feminism etc) and in relation to the changing structure of Australian political economy.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Synthesise, apply and communicate the basic concepts and terminology of Australian public law.
- Recognise and appraise the sources of Australian public law and their interactions.
- Evaluate the processes by which public law was formed in Australia and its evolving role in relation to Australian society, economy and culture.
- Critically analyse the position of Indigenous peoples within Australia’s Constitution.
- Evaluate the relevance of public law to current political and social developments in Australia.
- Critically analyse and reflect on layered public law problems in order to develop and communicate creative, practical and theoretically-informed solutions.
Other Information
None
Indicative Assessment
- The proposed means of assessment for this course will provide students with at least two pieces of assessment, including one piece during the teaching period. More information about the means of assessment, including the relationship between the assessment and the learning outcomes of the course, will be available in the class summary and on the course WATTLE page. (100) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
- Classes offered in non-standard sessions will be taught semi-intensively with compulsory contact hours of approximately 26 hours of face to face teaching. The course will also require advanced preparation through assigned readings. In total, it is anticipated that the hours required for completion of this course (class preparation, teaching and completion of assessment) will not exceed 120 hours.
- Classes offered during semester periods are expected to have three contact hours per week. Students are generally expected to devote at least 10 hours overall per week to this course. In total, it is anticipated that the hours required for completion of this course (class preparation, teaching and completion of assessment) will not exceed 120 hours
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Students must rely on the approved Class Summary which will be posted to the Programs and Courses site approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of the course.
Preliminary Reading
Students must rely on the approved Class Summary which will be posted to the Programs and Courses site approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of the course.
Assumed Knowledge
N/A
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 34
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $4980 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $6360 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8869 | 21 Jul 2025 | 28 Jul 2025 | 31 Aug 2025 | 24 Oct 2025 | In Person | N/A |
| 9270 | 21 Jul 2025 | 28 Jul 2025 | 31 Aug 2025 | 24 Oct 2025 | Online | N/A |