2023 CCCS Constitutional Law Conference


20 and 21 July 2023
Melbourne Law School

Conference Convenors Professor Adrienne Stone and Professor Jason Varuhas.

Dr Jason Varuhas

CCCS is delighted to confirm the return of its Constitutional Law Conference to be held in person at Melbourne Law School.

The 2023 conference has special significance as it will be dedicated to marking the immense contributions of Emeritus Professor Michael Crommelin AO Zelman Cowen Professor of Law, to the fields of public and constitutional law as well as to the Centre and as Dean of Melbourne Law School.

Public Lecture


The conference will commence with the inaugural Michael Crommelin Lecture, a new ongoing series of public lectures in honour of Professor Crommelin.

We are pleased to announce that the inaugural lecture will be delivered by the Honourable Robert French AC, former Chief Justice of Australia on the theme, Executive Power and Parliament – Before and After Williams.


Lecture Recording

Conference

The 2023 Conference is the 8th CCCS Constitutional Law Conference. It is forum for high level discussion of enduring themes in Constitutional law that has been held since 2009, attracting academics, practitioners and the judiciary nationwide.  In keeping with CCCS’ global profile, it will also feature prominent international public law scholars. In 2023, the conference will honour Emeritus Professor Michael Crommelin AO, Zelman Cowen Professor of Law, for his extraordinary career as a public law scholar and Dean of Melbourne Law School.

The conference will feature four panels on contemporary themes in public law including federalism, Australian democracy,  responsible government, the legal questions posed by the proposal for a ‘Voice to Parliament’, judicial review, executive power (including non-statutory power), and resources law and Australia’s environmental future.

Among the cases discused will be Palmer v Western Australia (2021) 272 CLR 505, Minister for Home Affairs v Benbrika (2021) 272 CLR 68, Garlett v Western Australia (2022) 404 ALR 182, Williams v Commonwealth (2012) 248 CLR 156, and Davis v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs (M32/2022 & S81/2022).

A final panel will be devoted to the career and contributions of Professor Crommelin.

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Professor Nicholas Aroney (UQ)
  • Professor James Stellios (ANU)
  • Professor Anne Twomey (Sydney)
  • Professor Denis Baranger (Paris-Panthéon-Assas)
  • Justice Kristen Walker (Court of Appeal, Victoria)
  • Professor Cheryl Saunders AO (Melbourne)
  • Professor Barry Barton (Waikato)
  • Professor Jason Varuhas (Melbourne)
  • Professor Terence Daintith (IALS, Univ. London)
  • Professor Liz Fisher (Oxford)
  • Professor Carolyn Evans (Griffith University)
  • Professor Simon Evans (University of New England)
  • Associate Professor Rebecca Nelson (Melbourne)
  • Mr Eddie Synot (Griffith)

Registrations are now open!

CCCS Constitutional Law  Conference 2023
Woodward Conference Centre
Melbourne Law School
20-21 July 2023

Thursday 20 July 2023

  Public Lecture
(Room GM15, Melbourne Law School)
6:00pm

Inaugural Michael Crommelin Lecture: Reflections on Williams v Commonwealth - Ten Years On

Welcome: Professor Matthew Harding (Dean, Melbourne Law School)

Chair: Professor Jason Varuhas

Speaker: The Hon. Robert French QC AC, former Chief Justice, High Court of Australia
Executive Power and the Parliament - before and after Williams

Vote of Thanks: Professor Adrienne Stone

7.30pm

Conference Opening Dinner: University House at Woodward

Toast to Michael Crommelin: Professor Matthew Harding

Friday 21 July 2023

8:45am
to
8.50am		 Conference Opening and Welcome
CCCS Directors: Professors Adrienne Stone and Jason Varuhas

9:00am
to
10.30am

Panel One: The Future of Australia's Federal Democracy

Speakers:

  • Professor Nicholas Aroney (University of Queensland)
    The High Court’s Federalism Jurisprudence: A Small Revival?
  • Professor Cheryl Saunders AO (University of Melbourne)
    Federalism and Responsible Government: Tensions and Rapprochement
  • Professor James Stellios (ANU)
    Federal Democratic Government as a Theory of Judiciary Review
  • Mr Eddie Synot (Griffith)
    Title tbc
10:30am
to
11.00am		 Morning Tea

11.00am
to 12.30pm

Panel Two: Executive Power

Speakers:

  • Professor Denis Baranger (Paris-Panthéon-Assas University)
    Independant Executives? Central Banks and Monetary Policy from a Constitutional Law Point of View
  • Professor Anne Twomey (University of Sydney)
    Can the Executive use Parliament to entrench government policy against future change?
  • Professor Jason Varuhas (University of Melbourne)
    Judicial Review of Non-Statutory Executive Power
12:30pm
to
1.30pm		Lunch

1:30pm
to
3.00pm 

Panel Three: Public Law, Resources Law and Australia's Environmental Future

Speakers:

  • Professor Liz Fisher (University of Oxford)
    Natural Resources, Environment, and Australia's Public Law Imagination
  • Professor Barry Barton (University of Waikato)
    The Evolution of Natural Resources Law in the Net-Zero Transition
  • Associate Professor Rebecca Nelson (University of Melbourne)
    Title tbc
3:00pm
to
3.30pm		 Afternoon Tea

3:30pm
to
4.30pm

Panel Four: Michael Crommelin : Dean and Colleague

Speakers:

  • Professor Terence Daintith (IALS, University of London)
  • Professor Cheryl Saunders AO (University of Melbourne)
  • The Hon. Justice Kristen Walker (Court of Appeal, Victoria)
  • Professor Carolyn Evans (Griffith University)
  • Professor Simon Evans (University of New England)

Response:

  • Professor Michael Crommelin AO
4.30pm
to
4.45pm		 Closing Remarks
CCCS Directors: Professors Adrienne Stone and Jason Varuhas


Please note this is a draft programme and may be subject to change.

To register and pay online for the Conference and/or Dinner, please click here.

To register for the Public Lecture, please click here.

Conference Pricing Levels

  • Registration Fees (General)

    Early Bird General Rate - $350

    General rate - $399

    Early Bird registration closes 22 May 2023

    No refunds can be issued for cancellations after 1 July 2023

  • Registration Fees (Academic)

    Early Bird Academic Rate - $260

    Academic rate - $299

    Early Bird registration closes 22 May 2023

    No refunds can be issued for cancellations after 1 July 2023

  • Registration Fees (Full time student)

    Early Bird Student Rate - $100

    Student rate - $120

    Early Bird registration closes 22 May 2023

    No refunds can be issued for cancellations after 1 July 2023

  • Conference Dinner

    Conference dinner - $120

A selection of accommodation suggestions in the vicinity of Melbourne Law School

Zagame’s House

Lygon St, Carlton
850m or an 11-minute walk from Melbourne Law School
https://www.zagameshouse.com.au/

Zagame’s House is pleased to offer Conference attendees a special discounted rate.
To activate the discount, enter ‘CCCS2023’ in the Promo Code field when booking.

The discounts available through this code are:

  • 1-Night stay – 10% discount
  • 2-Night stay – 15% discount
  • 3-Night stay – 20% discount
  • 4-Night stay – 20% discount
  • 5-Night stay – 25% discount


Getting around in Melbourne

Melbourne is well serviced by public transport, and it is very easy to get around on trains, trams and buses. In order to travel on public transport in Melbourne, you need to use a Myki pass. Detailed information about Myki is available at the Myki website http://ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki/.

The public transport Victoria website has a handy journey planner function that allows you to type in an origin and a destination and gives you all the available public transport options and instructions.


Places to visit in Melbourne


Shopping in Melbourne

Melbourne has fantastic shopping. There are a number of shopping centers in Bourke Street Shopping Mall in Melbourne City.
There are also a number of large factory outlets close to the city.

Postal Address

Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies (CCCS)
Melbourne Law School
The University of Melbourne VIC 3010
Australia

Location

Law Building (BLDG#106)
185 Pelham Street
Carlton VIC 3053

Email

law-cccs@unimelb.edu.au

Social Media

Twitter