Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Professor of Constitutional Law and Unit Convenor
Professor Tina Hunter-Schulz
Contact via via iLearn Page
6 First Walk, office 445
11-12 Wednesday
Tutor
Maureen Klar
Contact via via iLearn
3-4pm Thursday
Unit Co-Convenor and Tutor
Catherine Greentree
Contact via via iLearn
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Credit points |
Credit points
10
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
20cp in LAW or LAWS units at 2000 level
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit introduces students to fundamental principles of constitutional law and practice in Australia, including the basic structures of representative and responsible government, the structure and content of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia and the relationship between the Commonwealth and the States. The unit places constitutional principles and doctrines in a wider context by exploring some of the questions that arise in relation to the framework for law and government in Australia. These include: federalism; democracy and citizenship; the rule of law; parliamentary sovereignty; and the relationships among the legislative, executive and judicial powers. |
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Late Submission Penalty Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – ten (10) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Essay | 40% | No | 15 April 2022 23:59 |
Tutorial Participation | 15% | No | End of Week 13 |
Take Home Test | 45% | No | Exam Week |
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 15 April 2022 23:59
Weighting: 40%
Students will be required to engage in independent research to present a written response to a particular question of Constitutional Law.
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: End of Week 13
Weighting: 15%
Students will be assessed on their participation in tutorial debates, problem-solving, appropriate questioning, and understanding of the materials. This will require preparation before the tutorial – ie completing the required reading and preparing thoughts/answers to the tutorial materials.
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 4 hours
Due: Exam Week
Weighting: 45%
A time-limited assessment involving written responses to problems of Constitutional Law
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Thirteen one-hour lectures weekly at 12pm (Wednesdays, weeks 1-13)
Thirteen one-hour online lectures (Released Wednesdays weeks 1-13)
Twelve one-hour tutes, weeks 2-13
Unit Schedule: Constitutional Law – Semester 1
Week number |
Lecture topic |
Tutorial topic |
1 |
Fundamentals of Constitutional Law |
NO TUTORIAL |
2 |
Commonwealth States and territories (1) |
Federation and the Constitution |
3 |
Commonwealth States and territories (2) |
States and the Commonwealth – inconsistency of laws |
4 |
Constitutional Interpretation and Characterisation |
The Territories and Commonwealth intervention |
5 |
Parliament and Power (1) - Overview and trade and commerce power |
Constitutional scope and interpretation |
6 |
Parliament and Power (2) - Acquisition of property on just terms |
Overview T&C power |
7 |
Parliament and Power (3) - external affairs |
Just terms: The Castle |
8 |
Parliament and Power (4) – Finance: Taxation, revenue and spending |
External Affairs – treaties and domestic law |
9 |
The Executive |
Revenue and spending |
10 |
High Court: Scope, Jurisdiction, Activism |
Scope and limits of the executive’s power |
11 |
Judicial power – commonwealth and states |
Judicial activism |
12 |
Constitutional Rights and Freedoms |
Scope and limits of the judiciary |
13 |
The Constitution and Indigenous freedoms |
Constitutional rights and freedoms |
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Unit information based on version 2022.02 of the Handbook