Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100043
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$539,000.00
Summary
The Australian Royal Commissions and Public Inquiries Library. This project aims to provide comprehensive free access online to the reports of all royal commissions and other public inquiries held in Australia since Federation. The project
intends to support a wide understanding of the pivotal role public inquiries play in the development of Australian law and public policy. It is expected that these reports will be comprehensively integrated with all other legislation, case law and law reform r ....The Australian Royal Commissions and Public Inquiries Library. This project aims to provide comprehensive free access online to the reports of all royal commissions and other public inquiries held in Australia since Federation. The project
intends to support a wide understanding of the pivotal role public inquiries play in the development of Australian law and public policy. It is expected that these reports will be comprehensively integrated with all other legislation, case law and law reform reports on AustLII to promote a greater understanding of how the balance is struck between inquisitorial fact-finding and the right to procedural fairness of participants and of how justice is delivered through the inquiry function of public bodies.Read moreRead less
The presentation of expert evidence in Australian criminal trials: the role of lawyers and experts. This project will shed light on how courts, lawyers and experts can work effectively together to deliver expert evidence in the courtroom. Improving the provision and effective use of expert evidence will benefit the Australian community by providing a better quality criminal justice system.
Meeting the challenges of constitutional comparison. This project offers a more genuinely global approach to comparative constitutional law. It will deepen understanding of the operation and underlying assumptions of systems of government in countries around the world, assisting Australia in its dealings with neighbours and strategic partners and in developing its own constitutional arrangements.
Australian Jurors' Perspectives on Expert Evidence. This inter-state, industry and research collaborative project will shed light on how courts, lawyers and experts can best work together to assist juries in their decision-making task. With the cost of a criminal jury trial running well in excess of $20,000 per day, policy-makers are keen to find ways of improving the efficiency of criminal trials. Improving the performance of the jury system will benefit the Australian community by enhancing th ....Australian Jurors' Perspectives on Expert Evidence. This inter-state, industry and research collaborative project will shed light on how courts, lawyers and experts can best work together to assist juries in their decision-making task. With the cost of a criminal jury trial running well in excess of $20,000 per day, policy-makers are keen to find ways of improving the efficiency of criminal trials. Improving the performance of the jury system will benefit the Australian community by enhancing the quality and reducing the cost of the criminal justice system. By intimately involving the judges and forensic scientists in this project we maximise the potential for the results of our research to be adopted by those in a position to improve the jury system.Read moreRead less
Constitutional resilience in South Asian democracies. This project aims to find out whether constitutional design could, and should, be used to make constitutional democracies more resilient. Democratic constitutionalism is facing serious challenges, not only in new fragile democracies, but also older established ones. The project will investigate the role that the constitutional accommodation of salient ethnocultural and ideological groups, the autonomy of non-partisan constitutional watchdog i ....Constitutional resilience in South Asian democracies. This project aims to find out whether constitutional design could, and should, be used to make constitutional democracies more resilient. Democratic constitutionalism is facing serious challenges, not only in new fragile democracies, but also older established ones. The project will investigate the role that the constitutional accommodation of salient ethnocultural and ideological groups, the autonomy of non-partisan constitutional watchdog institutions, and the adaptability of the constitution to changing circumstances could play in securing its resilience against serious threats. Relying on conceptual and empirical methods, using case studies from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, to answer these questions, the project will produce a better understanding of constitutional resilience, and the features that promote it to allow constitution makers and reformers to better protect democracy, human rights and the rule of law. This will provide significant national benefit for Australia as it deepens its engagement with South Asia, and the world more generally.Read moreRead less
Gauging informed public opinion on sentencing sex offenders: a national study. Sex offences appear to attract the greatest community condemnation and desire to punish, particularly when involving predatory stranger rapists or when the victims are children. This national study aims to ascertain informed public opinion on sex offender sentencing by exploring the views of jurors in sex offence trials in all higher courts in Australia.
Evaluating Federal class actions through empirical and comparative perspectives. Sixteen years after the introduction of a Federal class action regime (Part IVA), it is time for an accurate assessment (through an empirical and comparative study) of whether the concerns expressed by numerous commentators - that Part IVA has failed to enhance access to justice and judicial economy and has frequently been abused by the legal representatives of Part IVA parties and litigation funders - are justified ....Evaluating Federal class actions through empirical and comparative perspectives. Sixteen years after the introduction of a Federal class action regime (Part IVA), it is time for an accurate assessment (through an empirical and comparative study) of whether the concerns expressed by numerous commentators - that Part IVA has failed to enhance access to justice and judicial economy and has frequently been abused by the legal representatives of Part IVA parties and litigation funders - are justified. This study will finally provide Australian lawmakers with a detailed reform agenda to ensure that Part IVA will provide the benefits that it was intended to secure whilst operating in a fair and just manner. It will thus benefit similarly situated claimants, respondents, the Federal Court and the broader community.Read moreRead less
The role of community sponsorship for refugee resettlement in Australia . This Project aims to conduct the first large-scale comparative study of community or private sponsorship of refugee resettlement in Australia and other jurisdictions. It will generate ground-breaking insights into Australia’s role historically in community sponsorship of refugee resettlement and identify the legal and policy background of current successful community sponsorship programs. Expected outcomes include clarity ....The role of community sponsorship for refugee resettlement in Australia . This Project aims to conduct the first large-scale comparative study of community or private sponsorship of refugee resettlement in Australia and other jurisdictions. It will generate ground-breaking insights into Australia’s role historically in community sponsorship of refugee resettlement and identify the legal and policy background of current successful community sponsorship programs. Expected outcomes include clarity and policy guidance about how community or private sponsorship is understood, conceived and implemented globally; and better knowledge about the motives of community sponsors. This Project will position Australia as a world leader in practice and research on community or private sponsorship for refugee resettlement. Read moreRead less
Understanding Statelessness in Australian Law and Practice. This project aims to undertake the first comprehensive study of stateless persons in Australia. It will generate groundbreaking insights into Australia’s role historically in protecting stateless persons, and identify the protection needs of stateless persons in Australia today. Expected outcomes include improving the quality of Australian administrative decision-making, and making an important scholarly contribution to an emerging area ....Understanding Statelessness in Australian Law and Practice. This project aims to undertake the first comprehensive study of stateless persons in Australia. It will generate groundbreaking insights into Australia’s role historically in protecting stateless persons, and identify the protection needs of stateless persons in Australia today. Expected outcomes include improving the quality of Australian administrative decision-making, and making an important scholarly contribution to an emerging area of international law. The project will improve public administration, develop Australia’s reputation as a leader in statelessness law and policy, and position Australia as a core node of expertise on an important issue that has implications for the rule of law, security and social cohesion in our region.Read moreRead less
Asking the right questions: improving juror comprehension of judicial directions. Juror comprehension is fundamental to the role of juries in the criminal justice system. This project will comprehensively evaluate jurors' ability to comprehend both standard and modified judicial directions. Based on these results, 'model' processes for jury directions will be recommended, aimed at improving juror comprehension.