166-040 Constitutional Design and Change

Usually 25 points of first year politics or admission to Bachelor of Public Policy and Management.

This subject involves a study of Australia's constitutional development. Topics of contemporary significance will also provide a focus, including a bill of rights, changing Australia into a Republic, redefining federal/state relations, and establishing reconciliation with indigenous people. Experiences in the United States will be explored and relevant comparisons with Australian practice made to inform the discussion of these topics. Students who complete this subject should have a knowledge of modern constitutional theory and institutional design; a comprehension of the importance of civil and political rights in modern democracies; and an understanding of both the Australian and American constitutional systems and how their major parts have developed.