Foreign Judges: National courts, transnational connections
As part of the Global Public Law Seminar Series, the CCCS will host a panel discussion on the phenomenon of foreign judging. Panellists from a variety of jurisdictions will discuss forces behind the transnational movement of judges; its effect in the jurisdictions that use foreign judges and those that provide them; and the implications of the use of foreign judges for constitutional adjudication, judicial independence and the role that courts play in their domestic and international contexts.For this seminar and to mark the launch of the book, Professor Tierney will be joined by five leading scholars of federalism from across the world to explore the important ideas developed in this new work. All are welcome to join this discussion, with Professor Eva Maria Belser, Professor Peter Niesen, Professor Nicholas Aroney, Dr Asanga Welikala and Professor Cheryl Saunders to reflect on federalism, constitutionalism and the state in the 21st century.
Submissions and Reports
A large part of the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies' engagement is with government itself. See a list of current and past submissions and reports to government inquests, inquiries and commissions here.
Decentralised Governance Arrangements In Papua New Guinea
In 2018 the Constitution Transformation Network hosted a series of Somali Constitution Forums, bringing together key members of the Somali diaspora to discuss federalism and other issues affecting Somalia’s constitution-making process.
FinTech: Regulatory Trends and Lessons for the Future
On Tuesday 19 March 2024, the Corporate Law and Financial Regulation program of the Melbourne Centre for Commercial Law hosted a webinar exploring the regulatory trends that have emerged in relation to FinTech over the past 15 years and the lessons for the future. The panel included Professor Douglas Arner (Hong Kong University), Ms Kate O’Rourke (ASIC Commissioner) and Dr Andrew Godwin (Melbourne Law School).
Jason Varuhas
Academic profile of Professor Jason Varuhas, Melbourne Law School
Australia-ASEAN Women in Constitution-Building Capacity Development Program
The Constitution Transformation Network was very pleased to host the 2019 Australia-ASEAN Women in Constitution-Building Capacity Development Program, which brought together eight women engaged in democracy and constitution building in ASEAN countries.
About the Conference
Scott Stephenson
Academic profile of Dr Scott Stephenson, Melbourne Law School
The right of privacy: a new frontier in biomedicine in the UK and beyond?
On Thursday 27 April 2023, the Health Law and Ethics Network co--hosted a hybrid seminar with Health, Law and Emerging Technologies (HeLEX) and the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics with Professor Colleen M. Flood from the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law.
Useful Links
Useful links for federal and state government interested in electoral matters
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board of the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies meets periodically to advise Directors and members on the strategy and activities of the Centre.
Centre for AI and Digital Ethics travel to Viet Nam for project on legal advice in cyber and critical technologies
In the last week of April, the Centre for AI and Digital Ethics’ were delighted to travel to Viet Nam for the first activities of the ‘Building Resilient Legal Advice for Cyber and Critical Technologies’ Project. This two-year project is funded under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Cyber and Critical Technologies Cooperation Program. This initiative aims to understand the challenges and opportunities for lawyers, legal experts and practitioners, legal experts, law and policy makers when addressing new technologies such as AI, ChatGPT and Cyber Security measures.The Centre for AI and Digital Ethics travel to Viet Nam to undertake work in the New Legal Thinking for Emerging Technologies program.
Collaboration and Consultancy
The Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies collaborates regularly with government, NGO and other specialist centres and institutes within Australia and across the globe.
Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies
The Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies (CCCS) undertakes research on constitutional law & government, and provides a focal point for scholars
The 2022 Australian Election Study
The 2022 Australian federal election was distinctive in several ways. The election was the first in many decades to be held in the wake of a major crisis, in this case the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, almost one in three voters cast their ballots for a minor party or independent candidate, the highest since the 1930s. Of the two major parties, the Liberals fared worst, winning their lowest seat share since 1946. What explains this seismic result, and what does it tell us about the future of electoral politics in Australia? This drew on the recently released 2022 Australian Election Study – a comprehensive post-election survey conducted at each election since 1987 – to examine what drove voter behaviour in the 2022 Australian federal election. The discussion covered the impact of government performance, generational change, as well as what can explain the rise of the Teal independents.This event was organised by the Queensland chapter of the Electoral Regulation Research Network (ERRN).
Mark Deng
Academic profile of Dr Mark Deng, Melbourne Law School
Constitutional Implementation for Sustainable Peace
Peace agreements made in conflict-affected settings often call for constitutional change. The Constitution Transformation Network explored how implementing constitutional inclusion mechanisms can contribute to sustaining peace.
Managing Deadlines: Constitution making in Chile 2021-22
In 2018 the Constitution Transformation Network hosted a series of Somali Constitution Forums, bringing together key members of the Somali diaspora to discuss federalism and other issues affecting Somalia’s constitution-making process.
Cities in Federal Theory Workshop
Cities in Federal Theory Workshop was held in 2019. The purpose of this workshop was to gather scholars from around the world and engage in a broad discussion about the role and place of cities in federalism. More precisely, the workshop aimed at investigating whether metropolitan areas in federal and quasi-federal systems have the potential to become the new strategic level of governance to accommodate diverse communities in vast areas displaying unique socio-economic and political traits, as well as the legal stratagems and tools to better respond to the specific pressures and exigencies of densely populated areas.
Annual Reports
Annual reports of the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies, Melbourne Law School.
Laureate Program in Comparative Constitutional Law
Australian Research Council Laureate Program: Balancing Diversity and Social Cohesion in Democratic Constitutions. This project aims to address the need to reconcile the tensions between the pursuit of diversity and the promotion of social cohesion. This critical problem becomes increasingly urgent as nations grapple with the challenges of highly diverse multi-cultural societies.
Research Projects
Learn about the Electoral Regulation Research Network's current research projects
Making and Changing Governments in Pacific Parliamentary Systems
In 2018 the Constitution Transformation Network hosted a series of Somali Constitution Forums, bringing together key members of the Somali diaspora to discuss federalism and other issues affecting Somalia’s constitution-making process.
