Law and Society

In World War 1  nearly 7000 ‘enemy aliens’ of German origin were interned in camps in New South Wales.  That experience is now the subject of a book co-authored by Arts academic Gerhard Fischer, and an exhibition running at the Museum of Sydney from May 7-September 11.

Associate Professor Michael Legg and Professor Justin O'Brien of UNSW discuss the impacts of possible changes to litigation funding in Australia.

Community gardens are one type of urban agriculture that's growing faster than Jack's beanstalk. But it's not just the chemical-free produce that's good for your health, suggests Associate Professor Susan Thompson, who heads up UNSW's Healthy Built Environments program.

United States Ambassador Jeffrey Bleich gives the Australian Human Rights Centre Annual Public Lecture; his topic: The United States and Australia's Commitment to Human Rights in the Asia-Pacific. The complete lecture can be found here http://www.youtube.com/unsw#p/u/7/Z_mN_SnOEL4 Jeffrey Bleich became the United States Ambassador to Australia in 2009. He previously served as Special Counsel to the President at the White House. From 1995 to 2009, he was a litigation partner in the San Francisco office of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, where he was recognised as one of the nation's top lawyers. After clerking for Judge Howard Holtzmann at the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal and acting as Special Rapporteur to the International Court of Arbitration, he assisted the Special Prosecutor for the International Tribunal for the Former-Yugoslavia. Ambassador Bleich received his B.A. from Amherst College, his Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University and his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He has taught international human rights at UC Berkeley School of Law, and written and lectured extensively on the international criminal court.

UNSW's Professor Justin O'Brien talks to Lancaster University's Professor Saul Picciotto about his new book, "Regulating Global Corporate Capitalism".

Associate Professor Philip Cam from UNSW's School of History and Philosophy on the proposed banning of Ethics classes in schools.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has promised to hold a referendum on recognising Aboriginal peoples in the Australian constitution. Professor George Williams from UNSW's Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law provides three things that you may not know about Australia’s Constitution – three facts that make this task pressing and important.

The large number of micro-parties in the Senate mean we may be headed toward a double dissolution election faster than we thought. Professor George Williams from UNSW's Gilbert and Tobin Centre of Public Law, explains how to prevent this happening.

PM Kevin Rudd has promised a conscience vote on same-sex marriage laws at federal level, but what happens if the states get to the altar before him? Professor George Williams, Director of the Gilbert+Tobin Centre of Public Law at UNSW explains.

UNSW Scientia Professor George Williams on the complicity of Australia and other countries in the CIA's torturing of 136 terror suspects since the attacks of September 11, 2001.A report from the US Open Society Justice Initiative has found that after the attacks of September 11, 54 nations - including Australia - participated in the CIA’s torture and detention of 136 terrorist suspects. UNSW Scientia Professor George Williams, from the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law unpacks what this has involved so far.

A report by UNSW’s Social Policy Research Centre has shown how providing stable housing for people with mental illness has reduced NSW hospitalisation rates by over 80% and saved  $30 million in hospital costs.

In 2008 a remarkable relationship was kindled between the children of Tigger’s Honeypot, one of UNSW’s child care centres, and the residents of Milford House, an aged care facility in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. Once a fortnight the children pay a visit to their older friends, to paint, sculpt, sing, laugh and share stories. This video looks at the benefits of bringing together the very young and the very old, and how better planning of our built environment could make for a happier, more healthy living environment for all.

UNSW Scientia Professor George Willams highlights 5 things you should know about Australia's new anti-terrorism laws.

Professor Alan Dupont, Director of UNSW's new Centre for International Security and Development, talks about the challenges facing our next generation of security experts. Infectious diseases, climate change, terrorism, drug trafficking and illegal migration were issues largely absent from our security agenda 20 years ago, but are now firmly fixed in the public psyche.

One in ten Australians live in strata titled homes such as apartments or townhouses; in Sydney it's closer to one in four. But how much do we know about strata title living and what it involves?The University of New South Wales has completed a major study of strata titled homes in NSW, finding a surprising 85 per cent of strata owners in the survey reporting defects in new buildings, and that three in four of these said the defects had not been fixed.The study, headed by Dr Hazel Easthope,  research fellow at the City Futures Research Centre at UNSW’s Faculty of Built Environment,  is the first to look into the experiences of Australia’s three million people who live in the fast growing number of strata title dwellings and found there are major problems with strata living. NSW Fair Trading is conducting its own review of strata law with results due next year and the UNSW study will be a valuable source.The study will be released at a forum on strata titles being held at The Mint in Macquarie Street, Sydney, 9 to 12am on Monday May 21. NSW Minister for Fair Trading Anthony Roberts will launch the study and a panel discussion on the report will be held by Dr Hazel Easthope, Prof. Bill Randolph( UNSW City Futures Research Centre), Mr Roberts, Stephen Goddard (president of the Owners Corporation Network Australia) and David Ferguson (President Strata Community Australia - NSW).

It's estimated that by 2050 more than twice as many of us will be living in cities. While urban agriculture of the community kind is on the rise, commercial urban farms are under threat.More than 60% of Sydney’s fresh produce is grown close to the city, the bulk of it coming from commercial gardens.How we use urban land is shaping up as one of the biggest dilemmas of the 21st Century. A booming population needs to be housed, but it also needs to be fed, and the cost of relying on imported food is already being felt.

UNSW's Professor Justin O'brien introduces the Centre for Law, Markets and Regulation.

The President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Sang-Hyun Song, delivers UNSW's annual Wallace Wurth memorial lecture. His speech, 'From Punishment to Prevention', marks the ICC's first 10 years and reflects on the future of international criminal justice.

In June 2012 Fatou Bensouda takes over as the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court whose mandate is to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity. In Sydney for the Justice for All conference marking 10 years of the ICC, Mrs Benouda discusses progress so far and plans ahead, especially in relation to gender-based crimes.

Professor Pat Dodson, Professor of Indigenous Policy at UNSW, gives the Inaugural Gandhi Oration.The Gandhi Oration commemorates Martyrs' Day and is delivered by a person whose life's work exemplifies the ideals of Gandhi. Professor Patrick Dodson has shown great leadership promoting and fostering reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and his work in this area has been marked by great tolerance and compassion. WATCH FULL LECTURE VIA LINK AT RIGHT.  

Professor Pat Dodson, Professor of Indigenous Policy at UNSW, gives the Inaugural Gandhi Oration.The Gandhi Oration commemorates Martyrs' Day and is delivered by a person whose life's work exemplifies the ideals of Gandhi. Professor Patrick Dodson has shown great leadership promoting and fostering reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and his work in this area has been marked by great tolerance and compassion.

Q & A Session from the second seminar of UNSW Law's series "In Who or What Do We Trust?" Can corporations' relentless focus on maximising shareholder wealth actually harm investors? UNSW's Centre for Law, Markets and Regulation presents Prof Lynn Stout, the Paul Hastings Distinguished Professor of Corporate and Securities Law at UCLA, in the second seminar of the series "In Who or What Do We Trust?"Lynn Stout has been described as "the closest thing to a rockstar in corporate governance". Professor Stout advocates the end of shareholder primacy where public corporations belong to their shareholders and firms exist for one purpose only - to maximise shareholder wealth.  However, modern corporate practice needn't be this way. Professor Stout argues that shareholder value thinking actually harms investors, over time and as a class.The CLMR in association with Allens Arthur Robinsion and the Centre for International Finance and Regulation is delighted to welcome Professor Stout to lead the second seminar in the series ‘In Who or What Do We Trust.’The lecture is followed by a panel discussion moderated by Professor Justin O’Brien, Director of the CLMR. Panelists include:- Professor David Vines, Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford;- Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, Australian Securities and Investments Commission;- Mr John Colvin, CEO, Australian Institute of Company Directors;- Professor Seumas Miller, Professor of Philosophy, ANU;- Mr John Morgan, Partner, AARFor more info on UNSW's Faculty of Law please visit the website - see link at right of page.

Can corporations' relentless focus on maximising shareholder wealth actually harm investors? UNSW's Centre for Law, Markets and Regulation presents Prof Lynn Stout, the Paul Hastings Distinguished Professor of Corporate and Securities Law at UCLA, in the second seminar of the series "In Who or What Do We Trust?"Lynn Stout has been described as "the closest thing to a rockstar in corporate governance". Professor Stout advocates the end of shareholder primacy where public corporations belong to their shareholders and firms exist for one purpose only - to maximise shareholder wealth.  However, modern corporate practice needn't be this way. Professor Stout argues that shareholder value thinking actually harms investors, over time and as a class.The CLMR in association with Allens Arthur Robinsion and the Centre for International Finance and Regulation is delighted to welcome Professor Stout to lead the second seminar in the series ‘In Who or What Do We Trust.’ For more info on UNSW's Faculty of Law please visit the website - see link at right of page.

Can corporations' relentless focus on maximising shareholder wealth actually harm investors? UNSW's Professor Justin O'Brien talks to UCLA's Professor Lynn Stout about her ideas which challenge traditional views on corporate law and the shareholder. Lynn Stout, the Paul Hastings Distinguished Professor of Corporate and Securities Law at UCLA, has been described as "the closest thing to a rockstar in corporate governance". Professor Stout advocates the end of shareholder primacy where public corporations belong to their shareholders and firms exist for one purpose only - to maximise shareholder wealth.  However, modern corporate practice needn't be this way. Professor Stout argues that shareholder value thinking actually harms investors, over time and as a class. Professor Justin O'Brien is the Director of UNSW's Centre for Law, Markets and Regulation. This is the second seminar in the series "In Who or What do We Trust". For more info on UNSW's Faculty of Law please visit the website - see link at right of page.    

Excerpt from Professor Lynn Stout interview

United States Ambassador Jeffrey Bleich gives the Australian Human Rights Centre Annual Public Lecture; his topic: The United States and Australia's Commitment to Human Rights in the Asia-Pacific. Jeffrey Bleich became the United States Ambassador to Australia in 2009. He previously served as Special Counsel to the President at the White House. From 1995 to 2009, he was a litigation partner in the San Francisco office of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, where he was recognised as one of the nation's top lawyers. After clerking for Judge Howard Holtzmann at the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal and acting as Special Rapporteur to the International Court of Arbitration, he assisted the Special Prosecutor for the International Tribunal for the Former-Yugoslavia. Ambassador Bleich received his B.A. from Amherst College, his Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University and his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He has taught international human rights at UC Berkeley School of Law, and written and lectured extensively on the international criminal court.

In a month-long program, indigenous students get to road test life in the legal profession.

A Q&A-style panel discussion with international refugee law experts: • Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill (Oxford) • Professor Geoff Gilbert (Essex) • Professor Kate Jastram (Berkeley) • Associate Professor Jane McAdam (UNSW)

The first in a series of interviews by Professor Keith Mason AC QC, Visiting Fellow at UNSW Faculty of Law with former Chief Justices of the High Court of Australia.Sir Anthony Mason AC KBE QC was the ninth Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia. He sat on the High Court bench from 1972 to 1995.Organised by UNSW Law Society and supported by UNSW Faculty of Law.    

Dr Maria Hill, Visiting Fellow at UNSW@ADFA, on why a campaign medal should be awarded to Australian soldiers who fought in Greece and Crete during WW2.

Dr Chris Luebkeman, Director for Global Foresight and Innovation, Arup Group and Visiting Professor at UNSW, on life in 2070.Dr Luebkeman is joined by an expert panel representing engineering, the built environment, climate change and sustainability. Panelists are Professor Alec Tzannes, Dean, Faculty of Built Environment; Professor Matthew England, Co-Director Climate Change Research Centre; and Dr Adrian Paterson, Chief Executive Officer ANSTO.