Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354730
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$20,000.00
Summary
Governance and Economic Reform in the Asia-Pacific Region: The Next Steps. This Initiative brings together economists, political scientists, and academic lawyers with a track record of influential policy-oriented research on the design and implementation of economic and governance reforms in the Asia-Pacific region. The reform agenda covers corporate governance, national economic policy and political institutions, and frameworks for international cooperation around the Pacific region. Key issues ....Governance and Economic Reform in the Asia-Pacific Region: The Next Steps. This Initiative brings together economists, political scientists, and academic lawyers with a track record of influential policy-oriented research on the design and implementation of economic and governance reforms in the Asia-Pacific region. The reform agenda covers corporate governance, national economic policy and political institutions, and frameworks for international cooperation around the Pacific region. Key issues are institutional transparency and accountability, economic efficiency and growth, and transnational cooperation. By holding a workshop, building a bibliometric survey, and linking research through a well-designed website, the initiative will propose an international network designed to further research on the problems of economic and governance reform.Read moreRead less
‘Traction’ or ‘Turbulence’ in Japanese Regulatory Style? - An Empirical Analysis of Japanese Commercial Law Reform since the 1990s. A massive program of law reform is fundamentally reconfiguring Japan's commercial law regime. But where will this reform lead? Many commentators predict the law's 'traction' to either a 'Japanese-style' system of informal governance or an 'American-style' system of transparent ex-post regulation. In contrast, this project hypothesises a more 'turbulent' process of l ....‘Traction’ or ‘Turbulence’ in Japanese Regulatory Style? - An Empirical Analysis of Japanese Commercial Law Reform since the 1990s. A massive program of law reform is fundamentally reconfiguring Japan's commercial law regime. But where will this reform lead? Many commentators predict the law's 'traction' to either a 'Japanese-style' system of informal governance or an 'American-style' system of transparent ex-post regulation. In contrast, this project hypothesises a more 'turbulent' process of law reform - one that is complex, conflicting, unpredictable and ongoing. Empirically testing this hypothesis against Japan's wave of commercial law reforms since the 1990s, this project aims to develop a model of legal and regulatory change in Japan. This model is of strategic importance for Australian policy-makers, business-leaders and legal advisors seeking to understand and respond to Japan's changing business and legal environment.Read moreRead less
Federalism for the 21st Century - A Framework for Achieving Reform and Change. Improvements to Australia's federal consitutional system could return between $9 billion and $20 billion each year to taxpayers (up to 3% of GDP). The problem affects service delivery in areas like health and education and hampers our ability to meet new challenges like water scarcity and climate change. In developing clear criteria for improving Australia's federal constitutionalism this project offers significant ....Federalism for the 21st Century - A Framework for Achieving Reform and Change. Improvements to Australia's federal consitutional system could return between $9 billion and $20 billion each year to taxpayers (up to 3% of GDP). The problem affects service delivery in areas like health and education and hampers our ability to meet new challenges like water scarcity and climate change. In developing clear criteria for improving Australia's federal constitutionalism this project offers significant long term financial and other benefits to the nation and will also produce more specific benefits as a result of its case studies of health and water management.Read moreRead less
Legal Origins: The Impact of Different Legal Systems on the Regulation of the Business Enterprise in the Asia-Pacific Region. This project will locate Australia and several major countries in our region within a highly influential international scholarly debate about appropriate forms of business regulation. It will contribute to domestic policy-making debates about the most effective legal methods for promoting an innovative and productive economy, especially in the areas of corporate and labou ....Legal Origins: The Impact of Different Legal Systems on the Regulation of the Business Enterprise in the Asia-Pacific Region. This project will locate Australia and several major countries in our region within a highly influential international scholarly debate about appropriate forms of business regulation. It will contribute to domestic policy-making debates about the most effective legal methods for promoting an innovative and productive economy, especially in the areas of corporate and labour law. It will also enable Australian policy makers to participate in international policy reform debates facilitated through international institutions. In particular, it will enhance Australia's capacity to understand and contribute to the establishment of better legal systems in our region, enhancing important trading and strategic relationships.Read moreRead less
Enforcement of Chinese Employment Law: Regulatory Innovation and Wage Arrears. Australia's security and economic well-being is closely bound up with China. It is in Australia's interests that China develops a sound legal system as the foundation of a prosperous, humane and stable society. The pervasive failure to pay Chinese workers their correct wages tests the capacity and credibility of Chinese law. An assessment of the legal system's response to the wage problem will provide specific insigh ....Enforcement of Chinese Employment Law: Regulatory Innovation and Wage Arrears. Australia's security and economic well-being is closely bound up with China. It is in Australia's interests that China develops a sound legal system as the foundation of a prosperous, humane and stable society. The pervasive failure to pay Chinese workers their correct wages tests the capacity and credibility of Chinese law. An assessment of the legal system's response to the wage problem will provide specific insights on securing compliance with the employment law in China, benefiting Australian foreign policy makers, traders, investors and overseas development organisations. It will facilitate collaborative work between China and Australia on strengthening the regulatory capacity of Chinese institutions. Read moreRead less
The law of refugee status: a theoretical and comparative analysis. This Project will make a significant contribution to international refugee law scholarship, thus consolidating Australia's place as a centre for excellence in international refugee law. In addition, the Project will have immediate practical relevance for individual refugee status determination in all states parties to the Convention, especially Australia, in its utility for practitioners, advocates and decision-makers. It will al ....The law of refugee status: a theoretical and comparative analysis. This Project will make a significant contribution to international refugee law scholarship, thus consolidating Australia's place as a centre for excellence in international refugee law. In addition, the Project will have immediate practical relevance for individual refugee status determination in all states parties to the Convention, especially Australia, in its utility for practitioners, advocates and decision-makers. It will also provide a principled basis for future policy development in Australia and abroad. It will therefore make a significant contribution to an area of law that is vital to Australia's future and to the international community as a whole.Read moreRead less
Interpreting Constitutions: A Comparative and Theoretical Study. Constitutional provisions that are ambiguous, vague, or insufficiently explicit must often be interpreted by judges. Should the judges be guided by contemporary values, rather than the original intentions of the founders? That is problematic, because interpretation is then difficult to distinguish from change. Constitutions usually require that they be changed only by some special, democratic procedure. Australian scholars have onl ....Interpreting Constitutions: A Comparative and Theoretical Study. Constitutional provisions that are ambiguous, vague, or insufficiently explicit must often be interpreted by judges. Should the judges be guided by contemporary values, rather than the original intentions of the founders? That is problematic, because interpretation is then difficult to distinguish from change. Constitutions usually require that they be changed only by some special, democratic procedure. Australian scholars have only begun to consider such issues, which have been debated in America for decades. This project will involve a comparison of the methodologies of constitutional interpretation in five different countries, and a theoretical inquiry into the underlying normative and linguistic principles.Read moreRead less
The prospects for justice in the legal reform of police administrative detention powers in China. Australia's security and economic well-being is becoming increasingly closely tied to China. Australia has a strong interest in China's continued economic well-being, as well as promoting the rule of law and valuing the protection of human rights. The effective legal protection of human rights is of vital concern to our relationship, to China's long term stability and to China's increasing participa ....The prospects for justice in the legal reform of police administrative detention powers in China. Australia's security and economic well-being is becoming increasingly closely tied to China. Australia has a strong interest in China's continued economic well-being, as well as promoting the rule of law and valuing the protection of human rights. The effective legal protection of human rights is of vital concern to our relationship, to China's long term stability and to China's increasing participation in international human rights fora. This project will enhance our understanding of struggles to effect legal reform of contentious police powers and to improve protection of citizens' rights through reforming law enforcement practices. It will contribute to ongoing Sino-Australian cooperation to promote human rights protection.Read moreRead less
Testing Court Reform Projects in Cambodia and Vietnam. Financial assistance for court reform projects in ASEAN countries is among Australia's foreign aid priorities, consuming highly sought-after aid dollars. This research will make recommendations aimed at increasing the efficacy of aid-assisted court reform projects. By paying particular attention to indigenous perspectives of successes and failures of such projects, the research will contribute to Australia's understanding of the legal and ju ....Testing Court Reform Projects in Cambodia and Vietnam. Financial assistance for court reform projects in ASEAN countries is among Australia's foreign aid priorities, consuming highly sought-after aid dollars. This research will make recommendations aimed at increasing the efficacy of aid-assisted court reform projects. By paying particular attention to indigenous perspectives of successes and failures of such projects, the research will contribute to Australia's understanding of the legal and judicial contexts in two of its Southeast Asian neighbours. The research will inform Australia's aid investments in Cambodia and Vietnam, the region and internationally. It will enhance Australia's ability to achieve more effective design, implementation and evaluation of court-related aid interventions. Read moreRead less
Australia's first bill of rights: Assessing the impact of the Australian Capital Territory's Human Rights Act. The ACT is about to adopt Australia's first bill of rights, the ACT Human Rights Act. This project will document and analyse the implementation of this historic law through its effect on executive and legislative policy and its interpretation by the judicial system. It will also develop a framework for assessing the regulatory impact of bills of rights generally. The project will gen ....Australia's first bill of rights: Assessing the impact of the Australian Capital Territory's Human Rights Act. The ACT is about to adopt Australia's first bill of rights, the ACT Human Rights Act. This project will document and analyse the implementation of this historic law through its effect on executive and legislative policy and its interpretation by the judicial system. It will also develop a framework for assessing the regulatory impact of bills of rights generally. The project will generate monitoring information for the Industry Partner, publicly accessible information for researchers and policy makers and contribute to the scholarly debate about the significance of bills of rights.Read moreRead less