News_

ARC funding success for Sydney Law School researchers

3 December 2018
Funding to address pressing societal problems
Our researchers have been successful in the latest round of Australian Research Council (ARC) grants, participating in 5 out of 11 Discovery Projects awarded nationwide in the Law and Legal Studies field of research.

Dr Belinda Reeve, Professor Rosemary Lyster, Professor Roger Magnusson, Professor Wojciech Sadurski, Associate Professor Nicole Graham and Professor Tim Stephens are part of six projects teams who have received ARC funding.  

Dr Reeve will lead a team of researchers including Professor Roger Magnusson to investigate the role of law, policy and regulation in enabling local governments and communities to contribute to healthy, sustainable and equitable food systems.

The project will inform recommendations for policy and legislative reforms that will empower local governments and communities to respond to food system challenges.

Environmental law expert, Professor Rosemary Lyster’s Discovery Project will aim to develop a legal and governance framework to enhance the resilience of Australia's electricity infrastructure in a changing climate.

This will include addressing both the integration of smart technologies and disaster risk reduction measures in the electricity system.

"We are delighted to see these important projects receive funding," said Sydney Law School Associate Dean Research, Professor Kimberlee Weatherall.

"They are addressing pressing societal problems including: how we promote healthy and sustainable food systems in our cities; how we achieve a more resilient electricity infrastructure in a changing climate; and the rise of populism.

"In addition to these, Sydney Law School's Professor Cameron Stewart was also part of a successful Monash led NHMRC grant to assess the impact and outcomes of the Victorian Voluntary Assisted Dying Act. 

"This funding success is a testament to the hard work and calibre of our researchers, and we can't wait to see the outcomes." 

Details of the ARC funded projects can be found below.

Dr Belinda Reeve is the lead on Discovery Project Strengthening food systems governance at the local level which was awarded $422,000.

Investigator(s): Dr Belinda Reeve; Associate Professor Karen Charlton; Professor Roger Magnusson; Dr Nick Rose. 

Project summary

This project aims to investigate the role of law, policy, and regulation in enabling local governments and communities to contribute to healthy, sustainable, and equitable food systems. The project will analyse policies and initiatives developed by local governments and communities in New South Wales and Victoria, including how law assists or prevents local-level action. The knowledge created by this project will inform recommendations for policy and legislative reforms that will empower local governments and communities to respond to food system challenges.

Professor Rosemary Lyster is the lead on Discovery Project A legal framework for resilient electricity infrastructure in Australia which was awarded $321,000.

Investigator(s): Professor Rosemary Lyster; Dr Gregor Verbic; Professor Daniel Farber; Professor Robert Verchick.

Project summary

This project aims to develop a legal and governance framework to enhance the resilience of Australia's electricity infrastructure in a changing climate. Building resilience reduces the total cost of disasters in Australia, a major share of which will come from replacing damaged critical infrastructure, without accounting for climate change impacts. This project aims to develop the legal and governance framework by addressing both the integration of smart technologies and disaster risk reduction measures in the electricity system. This is expected to provide significant economic, social and environmental benefits to Australia.

Professor Wojciech Sadurski is part of a successful Discovery Project Contemporary populism and constitutional democracy which was awarded $331,000.

Investigator(s): Professor Martin Krygier; Associate Professor Adam Czarnota; Professor Wojciech Sadurski.

Project summary

This project aims to explain and evaluate constitutional populism, or regimes that have come to power in a global wave of ‘populist’ parties challenging traditional ones. The project will identify, reconstruct, and evaluate legal and constitutional aims of, and institutional solutions adopted by, such regimes. It will examine whether they respect the forms of democracy, or just pay lip service to, for example, principles of the rule of law and constitutionalism, while working to subvert such principles. The project will focus on what ‘new populists’ do with power once they have it, what the consequences are for a global view of democracy, and on informing Australia’s geopolitical engagement with such regimes.

Associate Professor Nicole Graham is part of a successful Discovery Project Property as habitat: reintegrating place, people, and law which was awarded $360,000.

Investigator(s): Professor Lee Godden; Professor Margaret Davies; Associate Professor Nicole Graham.

Project summary

This project aims to produce an original account of property law that will connect it to place and human relationships. Property is at the centre of contemporary social life and law, yet it is often separated in legal scholarship from the human and natural worlds it structures. Using innovative analytical techniques and a grounded consideration of the functions and effects of property, the objective of the project is to produce an understanding of property as habitat that is both sensitive to place and adapted to social conditions. Expected benefits include a responsive understanding of property that is better able to address the challenges of Australian society into the future.

Professor Tim Stephens is part of a successful Discovery Project Geopolitical change and the Antarctic Treaty System which was awarded $466,000.

Investigator(s): Professor Marcus Haward; Dr Jeffrey McGee; Professor Tim Stephens; Dr Nengye Liu; Professor Shirley Scott; Adjunct Professor Anthony Press.

Project summary

This project aims to analyse current and emerging geopolitical tensions within the Antarctic Treaty System. Geopolitical tension was a key factor in the formation of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty and continues to shape the evolution of the wider Antarctic Treaty System. This project will examine critical moments in the history of the Antarctic Treaty System, using a new database of diplomatic documents to identify key indicators of geopolitical tension. The project aims to draw lessons on successful management of these geopolitical tensions. In doing so, the project intends to address a key focus of the Australian Government's Antarctic 20 Year Strategy and Action Plan, maintaining Australia's influence in Antarctica.

Professor Rosemary Lyster is part of a successful Linkage, Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) Project The Australian environmental and planning law library which was awarded $515,000.

Investigator(s): Professor Andrew Mowbray; Associate Professor Philip Chung; Professor Rosemary Rayfuse; Professor Rosemary Lyster; Professor Nicole Gurran; Professor Lee Godden; Professor Jacqueline Peel; Professor Benjamin Richardson; Professor Jan McDonald; Professor Alexander Gardner; Professor Paul Martin; Professor Donald Anton; Dr Justine Bell-James; Dr Julia Dehm; Mr Brendan Grigg.

Project summary

This project aims to provide comprehensive and free access to relevant Australian Environmental and Planning legal research resources, in all Australian jurisdictions not currently available online. A subject-specific ‘Australian Environmental and Planning Law Library’ will improve the ability of all researchers in the field to conduct the highest quality research. The project will build a comprehensive resource of materials including case law, legislation, Impact Statements, Planning Approvals, Plans and similar resources. Expected outcomes include support of the highest quality research relating to the array of issues arising from the protection of natural resources, the prevention of pollution, and the planning of urban development and infrastructure. This database will support the development of improved public policy and better outcomes for the natural and built environments.

Related news