The main purpose of this course is to build on the fundamental understandings achieved in Public Law and Federal Constitutional Law in order to provide a far broader and deeper understanding of the subject. This will be achieved by, first, examining in depth the fundamental aspects and tenets of constitutionalism in the Australian context and from a more jurisprudential perspective. Reliance will be placed on comparative jurisdictions, in particular the United States and the United Kingdom. A detailed analysis will first be attempted of the following major concepts in the more precise context of Westminster-based systems: the rule of law, parliamentary sovereignty, the ambit of executive power and the precise status and principles of responsible government, judicial review and constitutional rights, separation of powers, constitutional conventions, the reserve powers of the Governor-General, the status of common law principles as fundamental constitutional guarantees. A principal focus will be the nature and ambit of executive power, and the evolving jurisrprudence of the High Court on this question. The course will examine the evolving notion of parliamentary supremacy from Diceyan orthodoxy to the more recent debates involving leading constitutional scholars in the UK and Australia. In relation to separation of powers, the different constitutional consequences which result when the doctrine is entrenched in a written constitution (as in the US and Australia) on the one hand, and when it exists as a convention without being so entrenched, on the other, will be explored. The relationship between executive and legislative power will be the principal focus. This will enhance an understanding of the definition, nature and limits of judicial, executive and legislative power and their inter-relationship, an issue which becomes particularly important at moments of constitutional uncertainty and stress, especially at the crossroads of their power. The functionalist/formalist debate will be examined to determine the most appropriate interpretive methodology with respect to the application of the constitutional limitations which may emanate from the separation of powers. In so doing, the principal decisions of the High Court of Australia and other relevant courts in other jurisdictions. There will be an opportunity to evaluate major Australian constitutional decisions in a detail not possible in the prerequisite and undergraduate courses. A principal underlying theme will be the extent to which the tenets of constitutionalism are being complied with in Australia and the extent to which they can be. The course will be enriched and made more presently relevant by the exploration of current developing themes in constitutional law. The precise topics may vary from year to year. Depending on the topic, this may involve the introduction of completely new themes or the integration of developments with topics already examined.

The aim of the course is to build on the knowledge students have gained in the core contracts courses. The specific focus of the course for this year will be the regulatory use of contracts and contract law. During the course we will study both how governments regulate contractual relations and how contracts and contract law are used to achieve policy goals. The course will be research-driven and the specific areas of study will be chosen to reflect current developments in contract law both in Australia and internationally. Such case studies will be used to reflect in greater depth on some of the fundamental principles and doctrines of contract law studied in the core course.

This unit of study has as its objective the exploration of contemporary issues concerning debt and equity finance in Australian public and proprietary companies, with an emphasis on law reform in the areas of the raising of corporate finance; the positions of shareholders and creditors in the event of the company's insolvency; as well as aspects of external administration include receivership, voluntary administration, liquidation.

This unit critically examines the criminal law, criminal justice institutions and penal practices in the context of legal scholarly debates. Topics to be considered in any one semester may include criminal responsibility, capacity, gender and criminal law, corporate criminal liability, offence construction and trends in sentencing. In addressing these topics, the unit will attempt to respond to cutting edge developments in the criminal law as they arise. Each topic forms the lens through which larger or longer-term theoretical and others issues are discussed. By contrast with the foundational unit, Criminal Law, this unit does not adopt a content - driven approach to criminal law; instead, it adopts an explicitly critical socio-historical approach to the study of law, and draws on inter-disciplinary scholarship throughout. Discussion of relevant academic scholarship forms a core part of the subject matter of the course.

This unit further pursues the goals of Australian Income Tax and is to be regarded as an extension of that unit. In particular, the unit surveys some more advanced (and practically relevant) aspect of Australia's tax system, including special rules applicable to entities (partnerships, trusts, and companies) and their owners, international taxation, goods and services tax (GST), business cost recovery mechanisms (trading stock and depreciation), and tax administration. Together with Australian Income Tax, these units provide a basic understanding of the Australian tax system and a basis for further study and/or practice.

The objective of this unit is to enable students to examine and develop answers to the following questions: (i) What is discrimination and what harm does it cause? (ii) How has the law been used in Australia to address discrimination? (iii) What type of conduct does anti-discrimination law prohibit? Specifically, which attributes are protected, in what contexts and with what exceptions? (iv) What remedies can be sought for unlawful discrimination and how are these enforced? (v) What are the limits and future directions of anti-discrimination law? The law as it operates will be examined, focussing on examples of particular attributes of discrimination (such as sex, race, disability, age, or family responsibilities), but considerable attention is also paid to regulatory alternatives to explore how the law could be developed.

This unit introduces the essential elements of the Australian income tax system by exploring the operation of the tax legislation, the underlying principles which those laws seek to implement, and fundamental issues in tax policy. Topics covered include the concept and categories of income, the taxation of capital gains and fringe benefits, deductions and the treatment of capital expenditure, and the taxation of cross-border transactions. The unit also introduces the taxation of activities carried on through partnerships, trusts and companies. This unit is a prerequisite for Advanced Taxation Law..

This unit aims to provide students with:
* An overview of the legal regulation and supervision of banks and other Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions (ADIs);
* An understanding of the legal basis of the relationship between banks, ADIs and their customers, and an overview of the more common rights and duties that adhere to the banker/customer relationship;
* An introduction to negotiable instruments (cheques and bills of exchange), letters of credit and performance bonds, and guarantees;
* An introduction to the Personal Property Securities Act 2009 and its impact on secured lending.

In terms of content, this unit aims to explore in greater depth some important aspects of the law of real property which the compulsory Real Property unit does not cover. The topics which will be covered will be: leases (including covenants of leases, assignments of leases, remedies of landlords, relief against forfeiture and subleases); possessory title; mortgages (with special attention on the rights and remedies of the mortgagor and mortgagee; reverse mortgages); options and if time permits strata and community titles. Students who wish to practise in the area of property law are encourage to consider studying this unit, because the matters covered are indispensable for a career in property law. From a pedagogical perspective, the assessment is structured to improve the oral, research and problem-solving skills of students. There will be a problem-solving session at the end of the course. The classroom-style is structured to encourage students to participate in discussion and to learn collaboratively.

This unit of study examines competition law and policy in Australia. The central part of the course deals with Part IV of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth). The framework for analysis will include a critical examination of the fundamental purposes of competition law policy. Some references will be made to the restrictive trade practices provisions of comparative jurisdictions.
Topics include: (a) common law antecedents of competition law and history of competition law legislation; (b) National Competition Policy and legislation; (c) application of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth); (d) elementary economic theory of monopoly and the goals of competition policy; (e) fundamental concepts of competition, market definition, market power and public benefit; (f) mergers and acquisitions; (g) horizontal arrangements including cartel conduct, primary boycotts, and arrangements which substantially lessen competition; (h) vertical arrangements including exclusive dealing and third line forcing; (i) misuse of substantial market power; (j) notifications and authorizations; and (k) overview of remedies and enforcement. Additional topics may include resale price maintenance or access to essential facilities.

This unit deals with the principles relating to entry into, performance, and remedies for breach of contracts for the sale of land. While conveyancing is sometimes regarded as a mere matter of form filling and rote-learned procedures, it is one of the oldest and most complex areas of law, and requires the application of skill and strategy in deploying legal principles in practice. Modern conveyancing involves the application of an elaborate mix of real property, equity, and contract law concepts, and also principles of interpretation. The course will also deal with elements of the national system of electronic convenyancing. The unit of study is designed to provide the theoretical foundations necessary for expertise in commercial practice. The first part of the course deals with the formation of an enforceable contract for sale, including exchange of contract, identification of the subject-matter of the sale, and obligation of disclosure by vendors under common law and statute, and a brief treatment of statutory remedies under the Australian Consumer Law concerning land dealings. The second section deals with the law relating to the performance of the contract for sale intself, focussing on the standard form of contract for the sale of land in New South Wales. Special attention is paid in this section to the law relating to deposits, defects, the consequences of misdiscription of the land, and the legality of structures upon the land. The third section deals with the remedies available to vendors and purchasers, including notices to complete, specific performance, breach and termination, and relief against forfeiture.

This unit of study aims to introduce students to the theoretical issues associated with the definition and explanation of crime, criminality and crime control. Rationales for punishment are examined along with sentencing, and other possible responses to criminal behaviour are explored. The unit considers the impact of criminal justice policy and practice on particular groups which may include juveniles, women, Indigenous people, ethnic minorities and victims of crime. The regulation of particular types of offences such as hate crime are considered. Other topical issues are covered as they arise in contemporary criminological debate. Students are expected to take part in visits to a gaol and/or a juvenile detention centre.

This unit will provide a framework for understanding environmental issues, outline the sources of environmental law and provide an overview of the different approaches to environmental regulation before examining a range of topical areas, including climate change, water management, pollution control, waste management, environmental planning, development control and environmental impact assessment. Overarching themes will include the implications of adopting the principles of environmentally sustainable development for legal structures and processes, the effects of scientific uncertainty on environmental regulation, and the importance of public participation for making the value judgements required in environmental governance.

Family Law deals with the core provisions of the Family Law Act 1975 governing parenting of children and the property of married couples and persons in a de facto relationship. This course is essential for those interested in Family Law.
Family Law will focus on the following topics: constitutional and jurisdictional issues; marriage, divorce and de facto relationships, the resolution of disputes relating to children under the Family Law Act 1975, property division under the Family Law Act; child support and maintenance.

The goal of this unit of study is to provide students with an opportunity to pursue independent research in an area of their choosing. The project must involve a new piece of research. Material which has been submitted for assessment in any other unit of study may not form part of the project. Before enrolling in this unit of study, the student must formulate in writing the topic of the research project and a statement of methodology. The topic of the research project and the methodology must be approved in writing by a member of the teaching staff who agrees to act as supervisor and to be responsible for assessment of the research project. This approval will not be given if the topic of the research project falls within the scope of another unit of study being offered in the same semester. Students must have a WAM of 70% or higher to be eligible to enrol in this unit.

This course explores the relationship between Indigenous peoples and national and international public law systems. We begin with an exploration of Indigenous legal systems and governance structures. Students will see how this different way of seeing the world, and being in the world, impacts upon interactions with the mainstream legal system. We will examine the differing perspectives on history to see how they have shaped ever-changing laws and government policies. We will investigate issues such as: changing definitions of Aboriginality that have been imposed upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; the over-representation of Indigenous Australians in the criminal justice system; paperless arrest laws in the Northern Territory and fine legislation in Western Australia; the legal mechanisms used to execute the Northern Territory Emergency Response; the utility of International Law, Human Rights Law and International bodies to Indigenous people; meanings of self-determination; native title and land rights legislation; and contemporary examples of Indigenous nation building. Opinions on the issues covered in the course are many and varied so students will be encouraged to explore each topic through discussion and lively debate.

This unit is designed for final and penultimate year law students to undertake a project that allows them to work under the supervision of a University of Law School academic or with one of the University's industry and community partners. Students will work in teams on a real-world problem provided by the Law School or University partner. This experience will allow students to apply their academic skills and disciplinary knowledge to a real-world issue in an authentic and meaningful way. Participation in this unit will require students to submit an application.

The unit provides an introduction to the mainly statutory law regulating bankrupt individuals and insolvent companies. It explores the objectives and key principles of insolvency law, the pari passu principle, the various forms of insolvent administration including bankruptcy, liquidation, receivership and voluntary administration and associated procedures together with the avoidance of transactions in insolvency. The unit also considers the impact of insolvency on employees, unsecured creditors, shareholders and trustee's of trusts. The unit involves a significant component of statutory interpretation.

Insurance is an essential part of modern life covering a multitude of everyday risks and providing financial security in commerce and life generally. This unit covers the principles and concepts of insurance law and practice. A main focus will be on the rights and liabilities arising under contracts of insurance, under statute (principally the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth)) and at common law. Broad categories and common forms of insurance, and to a lesser extent reinsurance, and the risks covered by them will be considered. Concepts central to insurance will be dealt with including the duty of utmost good faith, the duty of disclosure, third party rights, proportionality, contribution, subrogation and fraud. Other matters to be considered include the role of insurance brokers and underwriting agents, the regulation of insurers (the role of ASIC and APRA), the progression of insurance from contract formation to claims and the role that insurance plays in the community, corporate life and in dispute resolution. There will be a practical emphasis which involve considering some common types of insurance policies and issues arising under them illustrated by problem solving. Consideration will also be given to the role of risk transfer and insurance in contracting.

This unit is designed for final year LLB and JD students to participate in various interdisciplinary group projects that allows them to work with one of the University¿s industry and community partners. Students will work in teams on a real-world problem provided by the partner, applying their disciplinary expertise and gaining valuable experience in working across disciplinary boundaries.

Legal interpretation is the process by which the legal meaning of a text is ascertained, by reference to the text considered in context and with regard to its purpose. This course deals with the principles and methods of legal interpretation. While mainly relating to statutory interpretation, the unit will also cover aspects of the law of interpretation of private law instruments, the Constitution, and treaties.

The principles and methods of legal interpretation are directed to a purpose - to answer a question about contested legal meanings. The course will focus on the primary elements of interpretive practice: reading and understanding the text in its proper context, and in the light of its purpose and the objective intention of the drafter.

The course will cover:
* Approaches to legal interpretation, with emphasis on the function of interpretation in private and public law.
* Aspects of the interpretation of private instruments - wills, contracts, testamentary dispositions, collective agreements.
* Drafting and clear expression.
* Principles of statutory interpretation, including the conventions of grammatical interpretation of statutes; the use of technical words; the need to read the instrument as a whole; the role and function of interpretation acts, including legislation requiring consideration of Human Rights principles; approaches to ambiguity and inconsistency of language; specific common law principles and presumptions of interpretation; the use of extrinsic aids to interpretation, and the identification of statutory purpose.
* Aspects of interpretation of national and international instruments - Constitutions and treaties.

Part of the course content will be taught by eminent guest lecturers from the Faculty and the profession.

This unit covers copyright and designs law, both recognised branches of intellectual property law. Their existence is often justified on the presumption that they encourage the exercise of inventive, creative and entrepreneurial skill and labour. The protection these areas of law provides is said to enable commercial exploitation of the resulting works or designs. This unit focuses on the requirements for the copyright and design protection and investigates the bases upon which infringement action can be brought. Particular emphasis will be placed on the expanding scope of copyright and the implications of the internet, as well as provisions in the Copyright Act intended to address the apparent overlap between copyright and design protection. Although the unit of study will emphasise legal doctrine and be taught from the perspective of a relatively depoliticised formalism, it is also recognised that the deployment and the regulation of intellectual property inevitably have substantial cultural, technological and economic consequences, which in turn inform and shape the development of legal doctrine. So, for example, Gone With The Wind, as a literary work still under copyright, is both an asset with a monetary value and the focus of a civil rights activism which demands the right to imitate the work for social and political criticism and parody. There will, accordingly, be some attention paid in this unit to the cultural, technological and economic consequences of intellectual property laws, to the significance of access to the public domain and to the effects of international trade pressure in the area.

This unit focuses on legal rights concerning the marketing of products, specifically, trade mark law and passing off, and legal rights concerning invention, specifically, patent law. Most aspects of the law of registered trade marks, including some references to passing-off and misleading and deceptive conduct will be covered in the unit, as will the effect of these areas of law on new marketing practices on the Internet. Some specific topics which will be covered in depth are: the differences between registered trade marks, passing-off and unfair competition; character merchandising and the protection of the celebrity persona; the nature of signs and the special problem of shape trade marks; counterfeiting and parallel imports; trade mark infringement; the badge of origin, private property and cultural resource functions of registered trade marks. In patent law, there will be a particular focus on the requirements for patentability under Australian patent law; the requirements for patent specifications; the concept of inventorship and ownership of patents; and patent infringement and defences. Although the unit of study emphasises legal doctrine and is taught from the perspective of a relatively depoliticised formalism, it is also recognised that the deployment and the regulation of intellectual property inevitably have substantial cultural and economic consequences, which in turn inform and shape the development of legal doctrine. So, for example, pharmaceutical patents are both valuable assets to their owners, who accordingly demand extensive legal protection for those assets, and also the target of vigorous criticism in the developing world for the patents' potentially detrimental effect on public health in relation to, inter alia, HIV. There will, accordingly, be some attention paid in this unit to the cultural and economic consequences of intellectual property laws, to the significance of access to the public domain and to the effects of international trade pressure in the area.

This unit of study examines the legal regulation of work relationships in Australia in the 21st century. The course is designed to equip students with a broad understanding of the legal rules, principles and institutions which form Australia's system of workplace relations and to place that system in its global context.
The course concentrates primarily on the employment relationship (distinct from other types of commercial arrangements under which work is performed) and will examine the way in which that relationship is regulated by private contract law and statute.
The course offers both a theoretical and practical focus. Students are invited to reflect on the role of legal regulation of work relationships, and to critically assess the effectiveness of Australia's laws.
By completing this unit of study, student should acquire:
- A general understanding of the system of workplace relations in Australia, and the way that system has developed in recent years.
- Knowledge and understanding of the legal responsibilities of employers and employees at the workplace.
- A working knowledge of the framework and operation of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth).

For students studying overseas on an official university exchange program.

This unit of study analyses two areas of law which have a significant impact on the daily practice of journalism. Both of these areas of law relate to the personal interests of private plaintiffs and the legal recourse such plaintiffs may have against media outlets. The tort of defamation, which protects a plaintiff's reputation, is a well-established cause of action which notoriously has a "chilling" effect on what the media publishes. By contrast, direct legal protection of privacy against invasions by the media is a rapidly developing area of law in Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the European Union. This unit of study provides a detailed examination of the principles of defamation law relating to liability, defences and remedies. It also examines how different common law legal systems are developing direct legal protection for individuals' privacy against intrusive media coverage. This unit of study provides a thorough doctrinal analysis of defamation, privacy and breach of confidence, as well as placing these areas of law in their broader historical, international, comparative, social and cultural contexts.

This unit of study provides an introduction to some of the legal issues that arise in modern health care. Issues to be covered in the course include: consent to medical treatment, professional liability of health professionals (including different forms of action for medical negligence), confidentiality, privacy, and access to medical records, the regulation of reproduction (including termination of pregnancy), and end-of-life decision-making, including assisted dying or "euthanasia". By the end of the unit, students will have a grounding in legislation and caselaw regulating the provision of health care services, and will also be aware of some of the ethical issues that arise in medical contexts. Student participation in class discussion will be expected.

The unit of study aims to encourage students to develop skills and knowledge about the police and policing, with particular reference to the shifting nature of policing. The unit includes critical analysis of theoretical and policy issues within contemporary criminal justice, but also examines policing (in its widest sense) including the pluralisation of policing. Students will examine: crime and crime control within a social and political context; policing and other institutions and processes of criminal justice in the light of contemporary research and policy debates; the major theoretical frameworks within which crime, policing and criminal justice policy are constructed and analysed; challenges for policing arising from changes in spatial arrangements, and from transnational developments in crime and crime control.

Law has played an integral role in producing ideas about 'race' and in shaping the lives of racialised communities in Australia and elsewhere. Today however, some argue that the law is racially neutral and that we live in a post-racial society. This unit will explore influential scholarship in critical race theory and consider emerging debates on the relationship between law and race. By adopting a critical and intersectional perspective, this unit aims to deepen understandings of particular historical and contemporary laws and legal practices. The focus is on the explanatory and analytical utility of critical race theory. The examination of legal practices will include comparisons between the practices in various countries, and traverse various legal disciplines. Topics may include the law and: racial classification; racial profiling; identity based claims and recognition; spatial and temporal dimensions of racialisation; legal approaches to historical (and contemporary) injustices such as colonialism, slavery and war; property; the organisation and policing of borders; and forms of resistance. Class discussion is an important part of this unit and lively debate on the readings is encouraged.

The Redfern Legal Centre (RLC) Clinic is an experiential learning opportunity for a limited number of law students to engage in hands-on learning. This unit of study will act as a gateway between theory and practice for students interested in the delivery of legal services to clients attending a specific advice clinic. RLC will expose students to different facets of public-interest lawyering including communication with and interviewing of clients from diverse backgrounds management of case files legal research drafting advocacy and ethical obligations. At the end of this unit of study students should have: (a) Developed or enhanced their understanding of a particular area of law; (b) Developed or enhanced their understanding of systemic access to justice issues in a particular area of law; (c) Identified the personal demands on and professional/ethical obligations of a public interest lawyer engaged in practice; (d) Gained insights into the interpersonal skills necessary to survive and thrive in legal practice; (e) Developed and applied effective communication skills required for the provision of written and oral legal advice and; (f) Had the opportunity to work both independently and collaboratively to advance public interest objectives.

The course provides a general introduction to all aspects of Roman private law. It begins with an historical sketch of Roman institutions from the earliest times until the reign of Justinian (CE 527-565), together with an introduction to Roman legal history and the development of Roman legal concepts. It also deals with the reception of Roman jurisprudence into modern European legal systems and the common law. The Roman law of marriage and family, moveable and immoveable property, real and personal security, succession, and contractual, quasi-contractual and delictal obligations are then dealt with in depth. The Institutes of Justinian, in English, is the fundamental text for study and students are expected to read the Institutes in some detail. The Institutes constitute a map of the law and means of ordering the law. Roman law has always been, and still is, of great historical importance in the development of many areas of the common law. Roman law also provides a yardstick by which both the virtues and the shortcomings of the common law can be measured. Further, Roman law forms the jurisprudential background of most of the legal systems in force in continental Europe and those parts of the rest of the world that were colonised by continental European nations.

The process of creating effective security interests in personal property to secure performance of contractual obligations is a critical component of commercial dealings and financings. This unit examines how security may be taken over common forms of personal property through a detailed analysis of the legislative regime established by the Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth), which became operative in January 2012. Providing an overview of the historical and economic development of the law in this area, the unit explores the rationale for the comprehensive legislation as well as its underlying general principles. An international and comparative perspective is offered through references to the Canadian and New Zealand experience in introducing equivalent statutory frameworks, with part of the course materials drawn from these jurisdictions.

The Social Justice Program will arrange for students enrolled in the course to work with various organisations which have agreed to participate in the Program. To date, such bodies include the Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS), the Public Interest Law Clearinghouse (PILCH), the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the Environmental Defender's Office (EDO). Through such organisations students will be exposed to real world cases and participate in a structured seminar program dealing with social justice issues and aspects of public interest law.
During semester hands-on experience with cases, clients and/or policy and research projects will be obtained one day per week in a 'social justice' placement site. Students will attend weekly seminars designed to provide students with the basic knowledge and skills required to participate in a working clinical legal organisation, and cover legal issues specific to the placement sites. The seminars will encourage discussion and reflection on the range of issues that may arise during the course of the placement.
At the end of the unit students should have: (i) enhanced their ethical, social and professional understanding of the practice of law; (ii) improved their ability to recognise, define and analyse legal problems flowing from real case files, and to identify and create processes to solve them; (iii) observed and practised communication and inter-personal skills involved in the practice of law; (iv) been introduced to aspects of legal practice such as legal writing, research, client interaction and time management; (v) had the opportunity to work both independently and collaboratively, in a way that is informed by openness, curiosity and a desire to meet new challenges.

In this unit of study students are afforded the opportunity to work the equivalent of one day per week during the semester in a 'public interest' placement site. In addition, students attend fortnightly seminars which are designed to promote discussion and reflection on a range of issues that may arise during the course of the placement as well as seminar presentations on matters relevant to public interest externships. The unit has a public interest focus which is reflected in the selection of placement sites.
At the end of the unit students should have:
* acquired a better sense of the professional and personal responsibilities associated with the practice of law;
* developed an appreciation that the law is a people profession;
* observed and participated in a high level of problem solving flowing from real case files (where appropriate);
* been introduced to the basic inter-personal skills involved in the practice of law;
* interacted with legal professionals in a flexible learning environment;
* been introduced to aspects of the practice of law such as legal writing, advocacy and time management; and
* developed the character and habits of a reflective practitioner.

This unit of study is offered annually under the supervision of the a member of the full-time academic staff and the Publishing Director of the Sydney Law Review. The unit is limited to 6 students per semester, who are selected on the basis of their academic results. Preference may be given to students in their final year in the selection of students for the unit. Each student will complete a range of tasks with respect to the Review, including editing and proofreading submissions and writing a review note (for assessment purposes only) and a case note for assessment and potential publication. (A limited number of casenotes are selected for publication each year, according to their merit.) Students selected for this unit must be prepared to serve for six months, so that duties may start before, and may continue after, the formal teaching and examination period.

This unit will explore a number of contentious issues arising in the law of civil obligations and remedies. It will revise and build on the fundamentals in the areas of torts, contracts and equity and place particular emphasis on the interaction of these three fields of the law. Particular topics and problems will involve issues of: causation and scope of liability; controlling liability by contract; tort duties to third parties to contracts; assessing loss; duties of good faith; fiduciary duties and conflicts. The unit will also include a number of guest lectures, to be announced.

Biological diversity is the variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes of which they are part, including diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. Aside from whatever intrinsic value it may possess, biodiversity is crucial to support human life and welfare. Australia is fortunate to have some of the world¿s most complex and unique biodiversity - unfortunately, also to have one of the highest rates of extinction and loss of biodiversity. Despite a sophisticated system of environmental governance and a relatively high degree of environmental awareness, biodiversity continues to decline rapidly in Australia. This unit will consider the international legal regime related to the protection of biodiversity; how international instruments are incorporated into (or otherwise affect) Australia¿s regime; and the operation of Australia¿s regime at both national and state levels (the latter, particularly in NSW) - and will include consideration of various threats to biodiversity, different protection options (in situ and ex situ), and how biodiversity-related considerations affect and are affected by other Environmental Law fields

This unit of study examines the socio-legal complexities of responding to child sexual abuse in society. The unit presents students with a theoretical and multidisciplinary framework for understanding and evaluating contemporary issues relevant to child sexual abuse. More specifically the unit of study will analyse the nature of child sexual abuse and the underlying dynamics of such victimisation. Students will critically evaluate different strategies and models directed at identification and prevention of child sexual abuse and critically analyse legal responses to child sexual victimisation.

This unit examines legal and policy frameworks for the management of coastal and marine areas in Australia. Topics addressed include the characteristics of Australian coastal and marine environments, the constitutional framework for the management of offshore areas, the regulation of marine pollution, marine parks and reserves, fisheries management, the regulation of offshore oil and gas resource extraction, and the management of climate change impacts on coastal and marine areas.

This unit provides an examination of research methods in the context of criminology. The relationship between theory and methodology is explored. The production of knowledge about crime is critically assessed. Sources and forms of crime data are discussed and their significance is assessed. Research design, evaluation and analysis are also studied.

This unit critically examines the theoretical and policy issues underlying the formulation and implementation of criminal law and the treatment of certain groups by the criminal justice system. Following analysis of the principles of criminalisation and theories of criminal responsibility a number of contemporary topics will be explored to foster an understanding of the policies and pressures that shape criminal law. Such topics include, how the law responds to violence (e.g. one-punch deaths, provocation, duress); sexuality and sex work; sexting by adults and young people; and anti-social behaviour.

This unit examines responses to crime and crime prevention with reference to shifting notions of crime and responsibility for crime. It encourages a critical appreciation of the limitations of criminal justice system responses to crime and the necessity to develop a broader approach to crime prevention policy which responds to economic, social and cultural issues. The unit examines different ways of thinking about criminal justice, such as a means of order maintenance, dispute resolution, or risk management, and the shifting focus towards the prevention of future harms. Specific topics may include: restorative justice specialist courts, privatisation and contractualism, security, policing, and approaches to crime prevention and community safety.

This unit looks at the ways in which the exercise of discretionary judgment arises for consideration in the course of the criminal justice process and the ways in which that judgment should be exercised at each step. It deals with each stage from the reporting or observation of crime, through investigation, arrest, charging, bail, plea, hearing, appeal, retrial and publicity. It describes how actors at each step (citizens, police, prosecutors and judges) confront decision making, the laws (legislation, common law) and rules (prosecution guidelines, memoranda and procedures) that apply and provides examples of the exercise of such discretions. It also looks at the place of public commentary (personal, the media and political) in the process. The unit explores nuances in the conduct of any criminal prosecution aside from the application of the letter of the law.

This unit has three aims. The first is to provide a sound analysis of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures and environmental planning laws in NSW and at the Commonwealth level. The second aim is to develop a critical understanding of EIA and environmental planning laws by examining their historical, ethical and political dimensions as well as relevant aspects of legal theory. The third and ultimate aim is to combine these doctrinal and theoretical forms of knowledge so we can suggest possible improvements to current laws and legal practices.

This unit focuses on litigation as a tool for resolving environmental disputes. The unit examines different types of environmental litigation and issues that can arise in litigation processes. Candidates will develop an understanding of the characteristics of environmental litigation, the advantages and limitations of different types of proceedings, and the range of outcomes that are possible for environmental litigation. The topics include litigation strategies, procedure and evidence, defensive actions (ie SLAPP litigation), and the outcomes of litigation. Reference will be made to recent cases, such as in the field of climate change, to illustrate the topics.

This unit introduces the key concepts that underpin the Australian GST, the policies underlying the tax, and the way those policies are (or are not) reflected in the design of the GST law. The aim is to give participants a working knowledge of the operation of the GST law and an awareness of the practical problems encountered in practice, informed by an understanding of the way in which the law is intended to operate.
The unit will commence with an examination of the basic design features of value added taxes in general and of Australia's GST in particular. It will then examine the core elements of the GST law, including: the taxpayer (entities, enterprise, and the obligation to register for GST), the liability for tax on supplies made for consideration; the value of taxable supplies and the amount of GST payable on supplies; the entitlement to input tax credits and the range of subsequent adjustments that may be required; attributing GST and input tax credits to tax periods; adjustments for adjustment events; basic principles of GST-free and input taxed supplies (including an introduction to real property transactions and intermediation services, primarily focussing on financial supplies); basic cross-border issues, including the treatment of imports and exports.

This unit examines government regulation of health care and professional practice. With regard to each area of government decision-making, issues are analysed by reference to the interplay between social goals, human rights, legal rights and ethical considerations. Topics covered include the constitutional and statutory sources of government power with respect to health care: regulatory models and reform of public health legislation; therapeutic goods administration; health insurance; pharmaceutical benefits and the pharmacy industry; human tissue legislation; discipline of health professionals with a focus on the National Law; health care complaints tribunals; a right to health care; ethical theories in law and medicine; the ethics of human experimentation; and ethics committees.

This unit will provide a foundation for further study in health law by examining laws that govern the liability of health professionals across a range of fields (eg criminal law, torts, contract, discrimination law) and mechanisms for the oversight and disciplining of health professionals. The unit will explore the role of law as a means to regulate/set limits on the conduct of health professionals and examine debates about the proper role of law in regulating the provision of health care. It will also critically evaluate law reform initiatives with respect to legal liability, complaints mechanisms and disciplinary action against health professionals where relevant. Topics to be covered may include: Legal and non-legal methods of regulating the practices of health professionals; the limits imposed on health professionals by the criminal law; the principles of negligence and their application to the liability of health professionals; contractual and fiduciary duties of health professionals; liability of hospitals; discrimination in health care; procedures for complaints against health professionals; disciplinary proceedings and the statutory reporting obligations of health professionals.

This unit is about legal and regulatory responses to tobacco use, obesity, poor diet, harmful use of alcohol and sedentary lifestyle - the leading causes of preventable disease in Australia, in high-income countries generally, and increasingly, in developing economies. Cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and tobacco-related diseases (known as 'non-communicable diseases' or NCDs) are society's greatest killers. But what can law do - and what should law be doing - to prevent them? Unlike other health threats, NCDs and their risk factors are partly caused by consumer choices that are lived out every day across the country. The challenge of encouraging healthier lifestyles cannot be separated, then, from the regulation of the businesses that all too often have a vested interest in unhealthy lifestyles. Law's relationship with smoking, alcohol and food is complex and contested. Nevertheless, governments around the world are experimenting with a wide range of legal strategies to encourage healthier lifestyles. This unit will focus on developments in Australia and the United States, placing legal developments in these countries in an international context. During the course, we will confront some important over-arching questions. What are the global determinants of NCDs, and to what extent are global solutions needed? What do global solutions look like? To what extent should law intervene to influence the behaviour of populations-as distinct from treating lifestyle-related risk factors as the personal responsibility of each individual? Does a regulatory approach to the prevention of NCDs imply coercion? Does it signal the emergence of the 'nanny state'? Does progress depend on motivating people to consciously improve their habits and lifestyles? Is it possible to regulate business without micro-managing or dictating commercial decisions and 'legislating the recipe for tomato ketchup?' Throughout the unit, students will be encouraged to explore the tension between personal responsibility and freedom, and the broader public interest in a healthy population and a productive economy. Key topics include: Frameworks for thinking about law, and environments that support healthier lifestyles; Global health governance and the prevention of non-communicable diseases; Tobacco control: where to from here? Personal responsibility for health, and law's role; Regulating alcohol; Obesity prevention; and Law's role in improving diet and nutrition, and encouraging active living.

This unit deals with the law relating to mental health issues in Australia including human rights principles. Background material on the nature and incidence of mental illness, psychiatric and medical issues, as well criminological and public policy literature will be considered where relevant. The unit covers substantive issues from civil treatment, welfare law, and criminal law. Topics covered will include: the social context of mental illness and the current and historical approaches to treatment of the mentally ill; contemporary State, Territorial and Federal involvement in mental health policy and legislation; the present framework of NSW mental health law and related welfare law including the Mental Health Act, Guardianship Act, Protected Estates Act and Mental Health (Criminal Procedure) Act; the process of scheduling persons with a mental illness; review mechanisms including the roles of the medical superintendent, magistrates, the mental health review tribunal and the Supreme Court; longer term detention of the mentally ill; community treatment and community counselling orders; protected estates and guardianship orders; electroconvulsive therapy; consent to surgery and special medical treatment; the defence of not guilty on the grounds of mental illness, the review of forensic patients and the exercise of the executive discretion; the issue of unfitness to be tried; the involuntary treatment of prisoners in the correctional system; and proposals and options for reform.

The objective of this unit is to explore punishment, sentencing and penalty in modern society, particularly through an understanding of the relationship between punishment and social structure and the significance of punishment within the social and political order. The unit will adopt an interdisciplinary approach which draws on history, law, literature, sociology and criminology. Topics which will be covered include new sentencing regimes (such as mandatory sentencing), women in prison, juvenile imprisonment, inequality and punishment, privatisation, immigration detention and various new forms of involuntary confinement, and the impact of law and order politics on punishment.

This unit will examine, from a comparative (particularly United States and United Kingdom) perspective, the current debates over the regulation of corporate crime from both legal and policy perspectives. Different theoretical perspectives on the nature and causes of corporate crime, and the role of the state in regulating corporate behaviour will be examined, with a view to determining the reasons for the failure of the criminal justice and regulatory systems to respond to corporate crime. The role of criminal, civil and regulatory sanctions in deterring corporate crime will also be examined. Offenses covered will include fraud, bribery, corruption, money laundering, revenue offenses, competition law offenses, corporate manslaughter and various offenses under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). With this foundation, students will be encouraged to think critically and to apply the principles they have learned to case studies.

This unit considers the significance of anxiety, 'fear of crime', risk and insecurity in the late modern world. It uses sophisticated analytical tools to discuss both the supposed growth in 'fear of crime' and the emergence of an array of technologies aimed at the reduction of crime risks. It also critically examines just what 'fear of crime' might actually be and how newspapers, security products, and insurance can be sold to us using the hook of our own anxieties. It also examines the anxieties related to terrorism and threats to national security and sovereignty.

This unit of study is on work health and safety law and practice. Its main focus is on the role of law in preventing disease, injury and death at work, principally by focusing on the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW), the relevant case law, and the enforcement of the Act. The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 will be placed in its broader context, including the extent of injury and disease at work, the principles of work health and safety management, changing work arrangements, the history of work health and safety regulation and broader principles of regulatory theory. Regulatory provisions governing health and safety in the mining, transport and clothing, textile and footwear industries will also briefly be examined.

The unit aims to provide a broad overview of the functioning of the juvenile justice system and its relationship to juvenile offending. There is a specific emphasis on NSW in terms of understanding the operation of a particular system, however reference is frequently made to the wider Australian and international context. The unit analyses the historical development of a separate system of juvenile justice and the system of ideas about juvenile delinquency as distinct entities separable from broader notions of criminality and criminal justice. The unit also analyses the contemporary nature of juvenile crime and specific issues in relation to offending, policing, community-based corrections and detention centres. Social relations which mediate between the juvenile justice system and young people will be investigated through a focus on gender, race and class. The broader political determinants surrounding the operation of the juvenile justice system and moral panics in relation to juvenile offending will also be examined. The unit aims to develop a critical understanding of the link between theory and juvenile justice policy, and to develop an appreciation of the multi-disciplinary nature of criminological explanation.