Upcoming events and opportunities
Read our monthly round up of upcoming public law events and opportunities, including conferences, seminars and calls for papers
If you have an AUSPUBLAW opportunity, conference or significant public lecture that you would like included in this roundup, please contact us at auspublaw@unsw.edu.au. The roundup is published once a month by the first business day of the month, so please let us know in time for that deadline.
We would firstly like to draw your attention to the following opportunity:
23 July 2026
Greater Sydney Public Law Book Series - Professor Michaela Hailbronner
Joint Initiative of the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law at UNSW, the Sydney Public Law Group at USYD, UTS, WSU and MQ
Date: 23 July 2026
Time: 4.00-5.30pm (AEST)
Location: Adrian Cameron Room, Level 2, UNSW Faculty of Law & Justice, Kensington NSW, and online via Teams
The Greater Sydney Public Law Book Series brings together public law academics from across greater Sydney to discuss global books in the field of public law.
In The Failures of Others: Justifying Institutional Expansion in Comparative Public and International Law (CUP, 2025) Professor Michaela Hailbronner (Münster) notes that is commonplace for institutions to justify their expansion of their own power on the basis of failures by other institutions. She argues, however, that such arguments are poorly understood and require further interrogation. This book puts forward the claim that we should recognise arguments from failure as a distinct concept in public law, and draw on the tools offered to us by comparative constitutional theory to evaluate those.
In this book discussion, the UNSW Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, as part of the Greater Sydney Public Law Book Series, hosts Professor Hailbronner in conversation with Anthony Mason and Scientia Professor Rosalind Dixon (UNSW). The session will be chaired by Dr Elisabeth Perham (UNSW).
For more information, and to register, click here.
Competitions and calls for papers
31 August 2026
Australian Academy of Law 2026 Annual Essay Prize
Australian Academy of Law
Deadline: 31 August 2026
The Australian Academy of Law invites you to submit an essay for its 2026 Annual Essay Prize.
The Prize is open to anyone, wherever resident, who is studying or has studied legal subjects at a tertiary level, or who is working or has worked in a law-based occupation. There is no limit by reference to the age or seniority or experience of, or position held by, a person who may submit an entry. Accordingly, law students, legal academics, legal practitioners and judicial officers are all eligible to submit an essay.
The amount of the Prize is $10,000.
The essay topic for the Prize in 2026 is as follows:
Section 51(xxxi) of the Commonwealth Constitution confers power on the Commonwealth Parliament to make laws with respect to the acquisition of property on just terms from any State or person for any purpose in respect of which the Parliament has power to make laws.
What is the relationship between s 51(xxxi) and:
(1) the other powers under s 51; and
(2) the rest of the Constitution?
Has the 2025 trilogy of cases, Commonwealth v Yunupingu [2025] HCA 6, G Global 120 TE Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue (Qld) [2025] HCA 39, Russian Federation v Commonwealth [2025] HCA 44, resolved that relationship?
Do you agree?
The length of the essay to be submitted is a maximum of 8,000 words (excluding the abstract).
For more information, click here.
1 October 2026
Human Rights Law Essay Prize
Human Rights Law Association
Deadline: 1 October 2026
The Human Rights Law Essay Prize is awarded annually to the applicant who produces the most original essay on human rights in Australia and/or New Zealand, having previously submitted the essay for assessment to an Australian or New Zealand university.
The recipient of the Human Rights Law Essay Prize will be selected by a judging panel appointed by the committee of the Human Rights Law Association. The winner will be announced close to Human Rights Week in December and will receive a prize of $1000.
To be eligible, the topic of the essay must be human rights in Australia or New Zealand and the essay must have previously been submitted for assessment to a university in Australia or New Zealand (whether undergraduate or graduate). Students from any discipline are encouraged to apply.
For more information, and to submit an entry, click here.
Conferences and seminars
15-17 July 2026
Australasian Society of Legal Philosophy Annual Conference 2026
Australasian Society of Legal Philosophy
Date: 15-17 July 2026
Location: University of Queensland, Brisbane
Our next annual conference will take place at the University of Queensland from Wednesday 15 July to Friday 17 July 2026. Keynotes will be delivered by Janet McLean (University of Auckland) and Irit Samet-Porat (Kings College London), with an introduction and comments from the Hon Justice James Edelman AC (High Court of Australia). The subject of the book symposium will be Money, Parties and Democracy by Matteo Bonotti (Monash University) and Zim Nwokora (Deakin University), with commentaries by Stewart Braun (Australian Catholic University), Lisa Hill (University of Adelaide) and Graeme Orr (University of Queensland).
For more information, and to register, click here.
16 July 2026
The Corporate State
University of Queensland
Date: 16 July 2026
Time: 5.15-7.45pm (AEST)
Location: Banco Court, Supreme Court of Queensland, Brisbane
Recent decades have seen a surge of interest in holistic models of corporate responsibility. These conceptualise how blame might fall upon an entity on its own account, distinct from the fault of its natural agents and employees.
The theory of ‘Systems Intentionality’ provides a principled and practical means to establish corporate ‘state of mind’ elements in common law, equitable and statutory rules and principles. What insights does a theory of ‘Systems Intentionality’ offer for public ‘juristic persons’, such as the Commonwealth of Australia and its associated agencies and entities.
Australia’s ‘Robodebt’ and the UK’s ‘Post Office Horizon’ scandals suggest this question is pressing.
Speaker: Professor Elise Bant, University of Western Australia
Commentator: The Hon Catherine Holmes AC
Chair: The Hon Chief Justice Helen Bowskill, Supreme Court of Queensland
For more information, and to register, click here.
23 July 2026
The Annual Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Conference
Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, Monash University
Date: 23 July 2026
Time: 9.00am-5.00pm (AEST)
Location: Monash University Law Chambers
The Annual Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Conference provides an invaluable opportunity for delegates to deepen their understanding of human rights law and connect with fellow lawyers, academics, advocates, and activists.
Attendees can join in person or online for a full day of insightful discussions and thought-provoking panels on critical issues in human rights law. This event fosters meaningful dialogue and reflection on the challenges and opportunities in advancing human rights. Details to come.
For more information, click here.
24 July 2026
FORE Good NSW Launch
FORE Good
Date: 24 July 2026
Time: 6.30-8.30pm (AEST)
Location: Canva Space, 10 Kippax Street, Surry Hills NSW
FORE Good is a youth-led, non-partisan, not-for-profit that has just moved to NSW (although it operates nationally). The FORE Good NSW Launch will bring together media, parliamentarians, supporters, and changemakers for one big night.
FORE Good run a Policy Library of One-Page Briefs. A free-to-access, philanthropically funded, online resource where each brief has everything you need to quickly digest an idea, discover how much support it has, and decide if it’s worth pursuing.
For more information, and to register, click here.
28 July 2026
Is Environmental Law Hopeful?
Monash University
Date: 28 July 2026
Time: 6.00-8.00pm (AEST)
Location: Monash University Law Chambers
In this lecture, Professor Elen Stokes explore the significance of hope within environmental law. This may seem counterintuitive. After all, environmental law is not generally known for its good-news stories. The scale and urgency of the challenges at stake—among them climate change, biodiversity loss, and persistent, bioaccumulative pollutants—often make it feel more appropriate to speak of environmental law in terms of frustration, disappointment or even despair.
Professor Stokes's aim is to examine the various ways in which the relationship between environmental law and hope can be framed. This Public Lecture will focus in particular on the forms that hope takes within environmental law, as well as on the role of hope—and hopefulness—in environmental law teaching and research.
Registrations open soon. For more information, click here.
30-31 July 2026
2026 AIAL National Conference – Administrative Law in a Time of Crisis
Australian Institute of Administrative Law
Date: 30-31 July 2026
Location: Hotel Realm, 18 National Circuit, Barton, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
The AIAL National Administrative Law Conference is Australia’s pre-eminent administrative law conference, having been held each year since 1991 (except in 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions). The 2026 Conference will be the 35th National Administrative Law Conference.
The aim of the Conference is to provide those involved or interested in Australian administrative law with the opportunity to discuss contemporary issues, share practical experiences and consider future developments. The 2026 Conference will be hosted by the National Executive Committee of the Institute.
The overarching theme for the 2026 AIAL National Administrative Law Conference is: Administrative Law in a Time of Crisis.
For more information, click here.
14 August 2026
Charting the Impact of Academic Research on Australian Court Proceedings
Centre for Law as Protection and Castan Centre for Human Rights Law
Date: 14 August 2026
Time: 9.00am-3.30pm (AEST)
Location: Deakin Downtown, Level 12, Tower 2, 727 Collins St, Melbourne VIC
This full-day forum brings together leading judges, scholars, and practitioners to examine how academic research shapes legal reasoning, informs advocacy, and contributes to the development of the law. Speakers from the judiciary, the legal profession and academia will explore the utility and value of academic research in judicial decision-making.
The program will open with a keynote address from the Hon Justice Kristen Walker, offering her perspective on the role of academic research in judicial decision-making, based on her experience as an academic, a barrister and now a judge.
Two expert panels will follow, featuring distinguished academics and practitioners who will share their experiences and critically examine how research is used in litigation and judicial reasoning.
Speakers:
The Hon Justice Kristen Walker AM KC, Court of Appeal of Victoria
Kate Eastman AM SC, NSW Bar and UTS
Professor Paula Gerber, Monash University
Professor Kim Rubenstein, University of Canberra, UTS and ANU
Professor Kate Seear, Deakin University
Associate Professor Tanya Josev, University of Melbourne
Associate Professor Ronli Sifris, Monash University
Dr Anne Carter, Adelaide University
Dr Josh Gibson, Monash University
For more information, and to register, click here.
19 August 2026
2026 Susan Campbell Oration
University of Queensland
Date: 19 August 2026
Time: 6.00-8.00pm (AEST)
Location: Monash University Law Chambers
The Susan Campbell Oration will focus on the experience of law schools, which are already running policy clinics, in order to:
Highlight the relevance of policy clinics for today’s society and legal education.
Propose strategies to evaluate the impact and quality of policy clinics.
Discuss ethical aspects and professional values involved in policy work and
Identify best practices and key challenges in policy clinic design and methodology
Registrations opening soon. For more information, click here.
21-23 August 2026
The Samuel Griffith Society - 2026 Conference
The Samuel Griffith Society
Date: 21-23 August 2026
Location: Hilton Sydney
Registration is now open here. Further details about the conference are forthcoming.
26-28 August 2026
ICON•S AUS-NZ Chapter Conference
International Society of Public Law (ICON•S)
Date: 26-28 August 2026
Location: Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington
The conference will feature a series of keynote panels, as well as parallel sessions in which participants are invited to present papers either in pre-organised panels or panels assembled by the organisers. Papers relating to the conference theme - “HE MAHI RARANGA: Infusion and Diffusion of Australasian Public Law” - are particularly encouraged.
There are planned keynote panels on: ‘The Law that was Always There’: Weaving First Nations and Pasifika Knowledges within the Law Curriculum; The Automated State; New Directions in Constitutionalism; and a Judicial Dialogue on the Judiciary in an Age of Distrust.
For more information, click here.
7 October 2026
Lucinda Lecture: The Law Governing Election and Party Finances
Monash University
Date: 7 October 2026
Time: 6.00-7.10pm (AEST)
Location: Online
How is money shaping Australian elections today, and where are the legal limits?
Join Monash Law for a focused lecture on donation caps, spending limits, and new reforms that are changing how political finance works across the country.
The 2026 Lucinda Lecture will be presented by Graeme Orr, an Emeritus Professor of law at the University of Queensland, with expertise in the law governing democracy.
This session will examine current laws, recent changes, and what they mean for democracy. It is timely, practical, and led by a recognised expert in electoral law.
Registrations open soon. For more information, click here.
23 October 2026
Getting to Yes - Can the Commonwealth Learn Anything from State Referendum Success?
Australian Senate Lecture Series
Date: 23 October 2026
Time: 12.15-1.15pm (AEST)
Location: Main Committee Room, Parliament House, ACT, and by live stream
This lecture looks at the history of state constitutional referendums and asks why they enjoy a much higher success rate than Commonwealth referendums. Since 1901, 75 per cent of state referendums have succeeded, compared to 18 per cent of Commonwealth referendums. The lecture begins by recounting the state referendum experience, looking at the sorts of issues that have appeared on the ballot and the different factors that shaped their outcomes. It then explores different reasons for the disparity in the state and Commonwealth records, including issue selection, consensus seeking and federalism. The Iecture closes by asking if the state referendum experience holds any lessons for the Commonwealth as it seeks to break its almost 50-year run of referendum failure.
Speaker: Associate Professor Paul Kildea, UNSW
For more information, and to register, click here.
12 November 2026
Inaugural Professorial Lecture: Professor Luke Beck
Monash University
Date: 12 November 2026
Time: 6.00-8.00pm (AEST)
Location: Monash University Law Chambers
Luke Beck is a Professor of Constitutional Law. He previously served as Associate Dean (Education) of the Faculty of Law for two terms, and has served as Acting Dean on occasion.
He is a leading scholar in the field of separation of religion and government and religious freedom under the Australian Constitution. He has also published on various other aspects of constitutional and public law.
Registrations opening soon. For more information, click here.
3-4 December 2026
The Law and Politics of Migration in Australia
Faculty of Law, Monash University
Date: 3-4 December 2026
Location: TBC
The Law and Politics of Migration In Australia is a collaboration between Monash Law's new Borders, Sovereignty, and Justice Lab (led by Associate Professor Samantha Currie) and the School of Social Sciences Migration and Mobilities Research Hub.
Registrations opening soon. For more information, click here.
7-8 December 2026
11th Asian Constitutional Forum
Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies, The University of Melbourne
Date: 7-8 December 2026
Location: Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne, Australia
We are pleased to announce that the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies at Melbourne Law School will host the 11th Asian Constitutional Forum on Monday 7 December and Tuesday 8 December 2026.
The overarching theme of the Forum is ‘Constitutionalism in Asia in a Changing World”. We are honoured to announce the following keynote speakers:
The Hon Justice Chung Kyesun, Constitutional Court of Korea
Associate Professor Rohit De, Department of History, Yale University
Assistant Professor Shamshad Pasarlay, Social Sciences Collegiate Division, University of Chicago
Professor Dinesha Samararatne, Department of Public and International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo
Registrations opening soon. Ticket pricing to be advised. For more information, click here.