Principles of Administrative Law

A comprehensive and well-balanced outline of administrative law.

Principles of Administrative Law provides students with a clear understanding of administrative law in Australia and the close relationship of legal regulation with the executive branch of government. With reference to the historical foundations, the constitution and institutional structure, and the power of government, this text discusses the modes of accountability in Australia as an 'administrative state'.

Exploring the interconnected relationships between legal, bureaucratic and political functions, this text encourages critical reflection on the key questions: 'What is administrative law?' 'What does it do, and how?' 'Why is it needed?'

This text is supported by a collection of relevant cases in Cases for Principles of Administrative Law, which has been compiled to exemplify the theoretical concepts in practice. These texts have been prepared together to enable teachers and students to use class time to engage with the interpretations and arguments presented throughout the textbook and encourage students to think critically about the content.

New to this edition

A new chapter on delegated legislation
A reconceptualisation and restructure of the presentation of the law of judicial review, a topic which now spans three chapters
Deeper conversation regarding the constitutionalisation of Australian administrative law
Discussion of how administrative law develops and responds to changes in governance
Extensive revision of existing chapters including:
the 'discovery' of an element of materiality
clarification of the nature of unreasonableness review
challenges arising from efforts to confer statutory powers (e.g., non-compellable powers)