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Professor Anne Twomey

Profile

Degrees

BA LLB (Hons) Melbourne LLM (Public Law) ANU PhD UNSW


Course taught

  • Federal Constitutional Law
  • Public Law


Areas of interest and expertise

  • Constitutional law
  • Constitutional history
  • Electoral law
  • Federalism
  • Parliamentary procedure and practice


Brief biographical details

Anne Twomey has practised as a solicitor and is admitted to practice in New South Wales, Victoria, the ACT, and the High Court (but does not hold a current practising certificate). She has worked for the High Court of Australia as a Senior Research Officer, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Research Service as a researcher in the Law and Government Group, the Commonwealth Senate as Secretary to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee, and The Cabinet Office of NSW as Policy Manager of the Legal Branch. She has acted as a consultant to various government bodies.

Publications

Books | Chapters | Refereed Articles | Other Publications | Conference Papers and Presentations | Encyclopedia Entries | Further Publications

Books

  • The Australia Acts 1986: Australia's Statutes of Independence, Federation Press: Sydney (2010)
  • The Chameleon Crown – The Queen and Her Australian Governors, Federation Press: Sydney (2006)
  • The Constitution of New South Wales, Federation Press: Sydney (2004)
  • Australian Sub-national Constitutional Law, Kluwer: The Hague (2004) – (part of its International Encyclopaedia of Sub-National Constitutions)

Chapters

  • 'Federalism in Australia: Gazing in the Crystal Ball of Constitutional Reform' in G Appleby, N Aroney & T John (eds), The Future of Australian Federalism: Comparative and Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Cambridge University Press: New York (2012) 446-62
  • 'NSW and Federalism' in D Clune & R Smith (eds), From Carr to Keneally: Labor in Office in NSW 1995-2011, Allen and Unwin: Sydney (2012) 100-109
  • 'Freedom of Political Communication and its Constitutional Limits on Electoral Law' in J-C Tham, B Costar & G Orr, Electoral Democracy: Australian Prospects, Melbourne University Press: Melbourne (2011) 189-208
  • 'Australia' in E Argullol & C Velasco (eds), Instituciones y Competencias en los Estados Descentralizados (Institutions and Powers in Decentralized Countries), Institut d'Estudis Autonòmics: Barcelona (2011) (entries are spread throughout each chapter)
  • ‘One in, all in – The Simultaneous Implementation of a Republic at Commonwealth and State Levels’ in Sarah Murray (ed), Constitutional Perspectives on an Australian Republic, Federation Press: Sydney (2010) 20-40
  • ‘The Entrenchment of the Queen and Governor in the Queensland Constitution’ in M White and A Rahemtula (eds), Queensland’s Constitution – Past, Present and Future, Supreme Court of Qld Library: Brisbane (2010) 185-213
  • ‘Commonwealth of Australia’, in H Michelmann (ed), Foreign Relations in Federal Countries, McGill-Queens University Press: Montreal (2009) 37-64
  • ‘Sir Philip Woolcott Game’, in D Klune & K Turner (eds), The Governors of New South Wales 1788-2010, Federation Press: Sydney (2009) 473-495
  • ‘Sir Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair’, in D Klune & K Turner (eds), The Governors of New South Wales 1788-2010, Federation Press: Sydney (2009) 457-472
  • ‘Commonwealth Coercion and Cooperation’, in Upholding the Australian Constitution, Vol 20, Samuel Griffith Society (2008) [published in April 2009] 183-212
  • ‘The States, the Commonwealth and the Crown – the Battle for Sovereignty’, in The Senate and Accountability, Papers on Parliament No 48, (Senate, January 2008) 21-34
  • ‘The Queen of Australia’ in Upholding the Constitution, Vol 19, Proceedings of The Samuel Griffith Society, The Samuel Griffith Society: Sydney (2007) 225-253
  • ‘The Dismissal of the Lang Government’ in G Winterton (ed), State Constitutional Landmarks, Federation Press: Sydney (2006) 129-160
  • ‘The Making of the Australia Acts’ in G Winterton (ed), State Constitutional Landmarks, Federation Press: Sydney (2006) 267-297
  • ‘Clayton v Heffron’ in G Winterton (ed), State Constitutional Landmarks, Federation Press: Sydney (2006) 161-184
  • ‘Federal Parliament’s Changing Role in Treaty Making and External Affairs’, in G Lindell and R Bennett (eds), Parliament – The Vision in Hindsight, Federation Press: Sydney (2001)
  • ‘Sue v Hill – The Evolution of Australian Independence’, in A Stone and G Williams (eds), 'The High Court at the Crossroads: Essays in Constitutional Law, Federation Press: Sydney (2000) 77
  • ‘International Law and the Executive’ in Opeskin and Rothwell (eds.) International Law and Australian Federalism, Melbourne University Press: Melbourne (1997)
  • ‘Monarchy or Republic? The Constitutional Options of the States’, in The Constitution Papers, Department of the Parliamentary Library, AGPS (1996)
  • ‘Monarchy or Republic? A Collection of Arguments for and against’ in The Constitution Papers, Department of the Parliamentary Library, AGPS (1996)
  • ‘The Constitution - 19th Century Colonial Office Document or a People’s Constitution, in The Constitution Papers, Department of the Parliamentary Library, AGPS (1996)

Refereed Articles

  • 'Future Directions in Federalism – Where Will the High Court Go?' (2011) 6(1/2) Public Policy 133-151
  • 'Changing the Leader – The Constitutional Conventions Concerning the Resignation of Prime Ministers and Premiers' (2011) 39 Federal Law Review 329-360
  • 'Changing the rules of succession to the throne' (2011) April Issue Public Law 378-401
  • 'The recall of members of parliament and citizen's initiated elections' (2011) 34(1) University of New South Wales Law Journal 41-69
  • 'The Governor-General's role in the formation of government in a hung Parliament' (2011) 22(1) Public Law Review 52-74
  • 'Appointing the Premier in a Hung Parliament - The Tasmanian Governor's Choice' (2010) 25(2) Australasian Parliamentary Review 53-62
  • ‘Truth in Political Advertising’ (2010) 21(4) Public Law Review 232-238
  • 'Pushing the Boundaries of Executive Power – Pape, the Prerogative and Nationhood Powers' (2010) 34(1) Melbourne University Law Review 313-343
  • 'The Future of Federalism – Following the Money' (2009) 24(2) Australasian Parliamentary Review 11-22
  • ‘Fundamental Common Law Principles as Limitations Upon Legislative Power’ (2009) 9(1) Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal 47-71
  • ‘Keeping the Queen in Queensland – How effective is the entrenchment of the Queen and Governor in the Queensland Constitution?’ (2009) 28(1) UQLJ 81
  • ‘The Fijian Coup Cases - The Constitution, Reserve Powers and the Doctrine of Necessity’ (2009) 83(5) Australian Law Journal 319-330
  • ‘Federalism and the Use of Cooperative Mechanisms to Improve Infrastructure Provision in Australia’ (2007) 2(3) Public Policy 211-226 (published in 2009)
  • ‘Constitutional Conventions, Commissions and Other Constitutional Reform Mechanisms’ (2008) 19 Public Law Review 308
  • ‘Responsible Government and the Divisibility of the Crown’ (2008) Winter Issue Public Law 742-767
  • ‘Constitutional Alteration and the High Court: The Jurisprudence of Justice Callinan’ (2008) 27(1) University of Queensland Law Journal 47-69
  • ‘Regionalism – A Cure for Federal Ills?’ (2008) 31(2) UNSWLJ 467-492
  • 'Executive Accountability to the Senate and the New South Wales Legislative Council' (2008) 23(1) Australasian Parliamentary Review 255-273
  • 'Reforming Australia’s Federal System’ (2008) 36(1) Federal Law Review 57-81
  • ‘Review of High Court Constitutional Cases 2007’ (2008) 31(1) UNSWLJ 215
  • ‘Amending the Preamble to the Constitution’, (2008) 10(2) CLPR 31-35
  • ‘A Constitution for a new State – Dilemmas for the Northern Territory’ (2007) 18 Public Law Review 200
  • ‘The Refusal or Deferral of Royal Assent’ (2006) Public Law 580
  • ‘Implied Limitations on Legislative Power in the United Kingdom’ (2006) 80 ALJ 40
  • ‘Constitutional Convention and Constitutional Reality’ (2004) 78 ALJ 798
  • ‘Federal Limitations on the Legislative Power of the States and the Commonwealth to Bind one another’ (2003) 31 Federal Law Review 507
  • ‘A Federal Process: Options for the Presidential Selection involving the people, the states and the Commonwealth’ (2001) 3 University of Notre Dame Australia Law Review 113.
  • ‘The Federal Constitutional Right to Vote in Australia’ (2000) 28(1) Federal Law Review 125
  • ‘Reconciling Parliament’s contempt powers with the constitutional separation of powers’ (1997) 8(2) Public Law Review 88
  • ‘State Constitutions in an Australian Republic’, (1997) 23 Monash University Law Review 312
  • ‘Dead ducks and Endangered Political Communication’ (1997) 19 Sydney Law Review 76
  • ‘Victoria v The Commonwealth’ (1996) 51 Federal Industrial Law Bulletin, 2
  • ‘Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Teoh’ (1995) 23(2) Federal Law Review 348.
  • ‘Laws against Incitement to Racial Hatred in the United Kingdom’ (1994) 1 Australian Journal of Human Rights 235
  • ‘Theophanous v Herald & Weekly Times Ltd’ (1994) 19(4) Melbourne University Law Review 1104

Other Publications

  • 'Independence Day' (2011) 36(1) Alternative Law Journal 1-3
  • ‘Dangerous Democracy: Citizens’ Initiated Referenda in California’ (2010) 21(2) Public Law Review 70-76
  • ‘Cutting the Gordian Knot: Limiting Rather than Codifying the Powers of a Republican Head of State’ Republics, Citizenship and Parliament, Papers on Parliament No 51, July 2009, 19-35
  • ‘The Australian Crowns - Changing the Rules of Succession’ (2009) 53(6) Quadrant 44-47
  • ‘The Reform of Political Donations, Expenditure and Funding’, Report for the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, November 2008
  • ‘Federalism – the good, the bad and the opportunities’, in Justin Healey (ed), Australia’s System of Government, The Spinney Press: NSW (2008)
  • ‘There’s wriggle room for an early poll’, Sydney Morning Herald 12 September 2008, p 15
  • ‘Reforming federalism without being radical’ Australian Financial Review 27 June 2008
  • ‘Australia’s Commonwealth Government Ends Blame Game’ (2008) 7(3) Federations 23
  • 'Reform needs a strong arm at helm’ Australian Financial Review 2 May 2008, 60
  • 'The 2020 Summit: The Future of Governance’ (2008) 15(2) Agenda 15-20
  • 'Book Review - Inside the Mason Court Revolution’ (2007) 31(3) MULR 1174-1185
  • ‘Ten ideas for 2020’, On Line Opinion, posted 16 April 2008 (http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=7248)
  • ‘Australian Federalism Reform’ (March 2008) 20(1) Legaldate 4
  • ‘Means of achieving constitutional reform in Australia’, Department of Premier and Cabinet of NSW, February 2008
  • ‘The future for Australian federalism’ Impact Magazine (ACOSS, Spring 2007) p 20
  • ‘Aspirational nationalism or opportunistic federalism’, Quadrant, October 2007 p 38
  • ‘Foreign Relations in Australia – Evolution and Reform’ in R Blindenbacher and C Pasma (eds) Dialogues on Foreign Relations in Federal Countries (Booklet Series, Volume 5) (Forum of Federations, Ottawa, 2007)
  • ‘Let’s have a real debate, Mr Costello, not hot air’, Sydney Morning Herald, 3 April 2007
  • A Twomey and G Withers, ‘Australia’s Federal Future’, Council for the Australian Federation, Federalist Paper No 1, 29 March 2007
  • ‘Truth, Error and Government Obstruction’ Quadrant, Jan-Feb 2007, p 39
  • ‘Foreign Affairs in Australia - Evolution and Reform’ (2007) 5 Blingenbacher R and Pasma C (Eds) Dialogues on Foreign Relations in Federal Countries (Booklet Series)
  • Comment, XYZ v The Commonwealth, (2006) 17 Public Law Review 256
  • ‘How federal countries appoint high court judges’ (2005) 5(1) Federations 5
  • Comment, ‘Manner and Form Limitations on the power to amend State Constitutions’ (2004) 15 Public Law Review 182
  • Book Review, ‘A Living Force: Andrew Inglis Clark and the Ideal of Commonwealth’, (2002) 30 Federal Law Review 399
  • ‘The limitation of State legislative power’ (2002) 4 Constitutional Law and Policy Review 13
  • ‘The Gibbs Court’ (contribution to The Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, 2001)
  • Comment, ‘Expansion or Contraction of Voting Rights?’ (1998) 20 Adelaide Law Review 147
  • Comment, ‘Treaty Making and Implementation in Australia’, (1996) 7 Public Law Review 4
  • Comment, ‘Free to choose or compelled to lie - The rights of voters after Langer v The Commonwealth’, (1996) 24(1) Federal Law Review 201
  • ‘Trimming the Tribunals: Brandy v Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’, PRS Current Issues Brief No. 40, 1994/5
  • ‘Procedure and Practice of Entering into and Implementing International Treaties’, PRS Background Paper No. 27, 1995
  • ‘Defamation and politicians: Fair game - or keeping the game fair?’ PRS Current Issues Brief No. 23, 1994
  • ‘Senate power in relation to money bills: an historical perspective’ Parliamentary Research Service (‘PRS’) Background Paper No. 5, 1994

Conference Papers and Presentations

  • 'The High Court and Federalism – Where will the High Court Go?', Power and Politics: New Dimensions of Federalism Conference, Constitutional Centre of Western Australia and the Australian Association of Constitutional Law, Perth, 2-3 July 2011
  • 'Section 15 of the Australia Acts 1986 and the Amendment of Australia'a fundamental constitutional documents', Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law Constitutional Law Conference, NSW Art Gallery, 18 February 2011
  • 'The Pitfalls and Perils of Minority Government', Faculty Seminar Series, Sydney Law School, 21 October 2010
  • ‘The Conventions Concerning Hung Parliaments and the Formation of Government’, ANU Public Law Weekend, 4 September 2010
  • ‘Hung Parliaments and the role of the Governor and Public Servants in the formation of government’, IPAA NSW State Conference, Sydney Convention Centre, 22 July 2010
  • ‘Conflicting rights and the application of bills of rights’, Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians 2010 Conference, Parliament House, Sydney, 2 July 2010
  • 'Equality and Freedom – Regulating Political Expression and Spending in Australia', Electoral Law Workshop, University of Melbourne Law School, Melbourne, 12-13 November 2009
  • ‘Heirs and Graces – Changing the Rules of Succession to the Throne’, Speech to the ACM Sydney Chapter, Parliament House, Sydney, 25 September 2009
  • ‘Pape, power and the prerogative’, Forum on the Pape Case, Australian Association of Constitutional Law, Federal Court, Sydney, 22 September 2009
  • ‘No Free Lunches at the Table of Knowledge – Ending Political Donations Scandals in New South Wales’, University of Sydney, Spring Back to Sydney Alumni Day, 19 September 2009
  • ‘The Fijian Coup Cases – What lessons are there for Australia?’, NSW Bar Association, Phillip St, Sydney, 4 August 2009
  • ‘An Australian Bill of Rights’, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference - Strengthening Parliamentary Democracy, Parliament House, Sydney, 29 May 2009
  • ‘Cutting the Gordian Knot – Limiting Rather than Codifying the Powers of a Republican Head of State’, Australian Senate, Occasional Lecture Series, Parliament House, Canberra, 3 April 2009
  • ‘Reform, Referenda and Recognition’, Local Government Constitutional Summit, Melbourne, 10 December 2008
  • ‘The Dismissal of the Lang Government and the Power to Dismiss a NSW Government Today’, Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Middletons, Sydney, 8 December 2008
  • ‘The Republic and the amendment of State Constitutions’, Australian Association of Constitutional Law and the Constitutional Centre of Western Australia, ‘Planning for a Republic – The Legal Mechanic’s Perspective’, Perth, 29 November 2008
  • ‘The Future of Federalism – Following the Money’, 2nd Conference of Australian Members of Parliament, Parliament House, Sydney, 6 November 2008
  • ‘New Institutions for Federalism’, ANZSOG Annual Conference 2008, ‘Making Federalism Work’, Melbourne, 11-12 September 2008
  • ‘Commonwealth coercion and cooperation’, Samuel Griffith Society Conference, Sydney, 24 August 2008
  • Speech to the Australian Republican Movement, Melbourne, 2 August 2008
  • ‘Federalism in Australia: Gazing in the Crystal Ball of Constitutional Reform’, International Conference on the Future of Federalism, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 10-12 July 2008
  • ‘Regionalism: A Cure for Federal Ills?’, UNSW Federalism Roundtable, 13 June 2008
  • ‘The High Court on Constitutional Law: The 2007 Term', Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, Constitutional Law Conference, Sydney, 8 February 2008
  • ‘The Executive – Privilege v Accountability’, ANU 12th Annual Public Law Weekend, Canberra, 9 November 2007
  • ‘The States, the Commonwealth and the Crown – The Battle for Sovereignty’, Occasional Senate Lecture, Parliament House, Canberra, 28 September 2007
  • ‘The Future of Australian Federalism’, AGS Constitutional Law Forum, Canberra, 27 September 2007
  • ‘Australian Federalism – Options for Reform’, 2007 National IR Conference, Brisbane, 11 September 2007
  • ‘The Queen of Australia and the Divisibility of the Crown’ Nineteenth Conference of the Samuel Griffith Society, Melbourne, 19 August 2007
  • ‘The involvement of sub-national entities in direct and indirect constitutional amendment within federations’ Sub-national Constitutions Workshop, 7th World Congress of Constitutional Law, Athens, 11-15 June 2007
    ‘The Decolonisation of the Australian States’ presented at the State Creation and Nationalism Conference - Centre for Comparative Law, History and Governance - Macquarie University, 9-10 March 2007
  • ‘The States and Treaties – What they wanted, what they got, and what they want now’, Joint Standing Committee on Treaties 10th Anniversary Seminar, Parliament House, Canberra, 31 March 2006
  • ‘The Secret History of the Australia Acts’, Staff Seminar, Monash University, 28 March 2006
  • ‘The Background to the Australia Acts’ - Western Australia Constitutional Centre, 27 July 2005
  • ‘Myths, Realities and Archives’ - ANU Public Law Weekend – ANU: Canberra, 11 November 2005
  • ‘Does anyone really understand manner and form?’ - UNSW Constitutional Law Conference – UNSW: Sydney, February 2005
  • ‘Constitutional Origins - Australia and Indigenous Peoples and Federalism in Australia’ - Global Dialogue on Federalism Conference – Philadelphia, USA, March 2003
  • ‘Limitation of State Legislative Power’, Gilbert + Tobin Centre for Public Law, Constitutional Conference, 15 February 2002
  • ‘External Affairs and the Treaties Power’ - Parliament House, Canberra, 22 August 2001
  • ‘Federal Options for a Republic’, Australian Association of Constitutional Law Republic Conference, Perth, October 2000
  • ‘Sue v Hill: The Evolution of Australian Independence, ANU Public Law Weekend, 6 November 1999
  • ‘The role of the Governor in a Republic’, Queensland Constitutional Convention, Gladstone, 18 June 1999
  • ‘Native Title in NSW’, Australian Financial Review Native Title Conference, 26 November 1998
  • ‘Native Title – The Future Act Regime’, NSW Law Society, Government Lawyers Seminar, 26 October 1998
  • ‘The States and a republic’, Public Lecture, ANU, 30 March 1998
  • ‘The Impact of International Law on Australian Law: Recent Developments and Challenges’, Conference, University of Sydney, 28 November 1997
  • ‘Representative Democracy – Comment’, ANU Public Law Weekend, 8 November 1997
  • ‘Role of the Governor and the Executive Council’, NSW Parliament House, Procedural Seminar, 2 April 1997
  • ‘Treaties and the Australian States’, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, NSW Parliament House, Sydney, 1 October 1996

Encyclopedia Entries

  • ‘Australian Sub-national Constitutional Law’ in The International Encyclopaedia of Constitutional Law – Kluwer: New York (November 2004)

Further Publications (Social Science Research Network SSRN)