Federal Constitutional Law

This sixth edition of Federal Constitutional Law: A Contemporary View continues the book’s tradition of revealing the difficult discipline of Australian federal constitutional law in an analytical, accessible and engaging way. The authors, Professor Sarah Joseph and Professor Melissa Castan examine the latest developments and likely future directions of constitutional law, and supplement essential primary materials with their narrative-style commentary, in a comprehensive, well organised and reader focussed presentation.

Features of this edition include:

accessible, reader-friendly commentary and layout;
straightforward explanations and analysis;
reorganisation of the chapters on the separation of judicial power and implied freedoms, in light of the volume of recent case law;
developments in intergovernmental immunities, excise, freedom of interstate intercourse, and Indigenous issues;
extracts and analysis of the latest cases, including Love and Thoms v Commonwealth (2019), Clubb v Edwards: Preston v Avery (2019), Comcare v Banerji (2019), Spence v Queensland (2019), Vella v Commissioner of Police (NSW) (2019), Private R v Cowen (2020), Palmer v Western Australia (2021), Minister for Home Affairs v Benbrika (2021), Libertyworks v Commonwealth (2021), Commonwealth v AJL20 (2021), Chetcuti v Commonwealth (2021), Citta Hobart v Cawthorn (2022), Farm Transparency International v NSW (2022), Ruddick v Commonwealth (2022), Alexander v Minister for Home Affairs (2022), Garlett v Western Australia (2022), SDCV v Director-General of Security (2022), and Vanderstock v Victoria (2023), Benbrika v Minister for Home Affairs (2023), Jones v Commonwealth (2023) and NZYQ v Minister for Immigration (2023).

Federal Constitutional Law: A Contemporary View, 6th Edition is the leading text on federal constitutional law in Australia. It is a considered and scholarly understanding of the Australian federal Constitution, an essential companion to today’s students, researchers and practitioners of Australian constitutional law.