Introduction to Public Law deals with aspects of the functioning of the key constitutional institutions of government at the national, state, and territory levels, and how those institutions interact with one another and with the Australian people. This unit will also explore the interaction between the public law context and the principles, rules and presumptions of statutory interpretation.

This unit will cover the following topics:

• Origins and evolution of Australian Public Law
• Sovereignty and Independence
• Rule of Law
• Federalism
• Separation of Powers and Judicial power
• Parliaments and Legislative Power
• Parlimentary Privilege & the Election process
• The Executive and Executive Power
• Judicial Independence
• Statutory interpretation and Public Law: Text, Context and Purpose
• appeals
• Statutory interpretation and Public Law: Presumptions and protecting rights
• Indigenous Australians and Public Law