Legal Affairs

Informative commentary on legal issues and advances in Victorian, Federal and international law.

19 January 2020 – Australian Politics, Leadership, McKinnon Prize in Political Leadership, Mike Baird
Mike Baird: The value of authenticity
Former New South Wales Premier Mike Baird says political leaders need a broad vision which gets people off the couch and cabinet ministers out of their chairs.
26 December 2019 – Drugs in Sport, Exercise, Sport and Culture, Sports Law, Young People
Is sport wandering offside?
Sporting bodies are well aware of their revenues, but amid off-field controversies a University of Melbourne expert questions the strength their social license
12 December 2019 – Brexit, Democracy, Politics, Polling, UK General Election 2019
Working class likely to deliver for Boris Johnson
UK election polls point to a likely decisive Conservative victory and a Brexit go-ahead, courtesy of the working class says a University of Melbourne expert.
20 November 2019 – Democracy, Elections, Nationalism, Politics, Sri Lanka
Fear and security swing Sri Lanka vote
Voters in Sri Lanka’s presidential election chose an authoritarian leader; a University of Melbourne expert says that could impact on the country's democracy.
18 November 2019 – Decision-making, International Military Law, Military Justice, War Crimes
How do you judge tough military decisions?
What is the role of hindsight and experience in judging difficult military decisions with life or death at stake? A University of Melbourne expert investigates.
31 October 2019 – Australia, Ethics, Health, Kidney Disease, Organ transplant
Making the case for the global kidney exchange
The Global Kidney Exchange has been criticised as ‘organ trafficking’, but University of Melbourne experts argue it will save the lives of rich and poor alike.
27 October 2019 – Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, Law, Robots, Technology
The ‘personality’ in artificial intelligence
As artificial intelligence impacts many human industries, University of Melbourne research looks at whether an algorithm with ‘personality’ would build trust.
22 October 2019 – Australian Politics, Leadership, McKinnon Prize in Political Leadership, NDIS, Public Policy
No policy without leadership
Rebuilding trust needs empathetic leadership that stands up to a fight says University of Melbourne's Jenny Macklin, a former Labor deputy leader and minister.
13 October 2019 – Australia, Drought, Groundwater, Law, Water Management
Managing the hidden water beneath our feet
A University of Melbourne expert says there's too little transparency about how Australia's groundwater is regulated and used; we need more legal safeguards.