The High Court at the Crossroads

Between 1995 and 1998, five of the seven judges of the High Court resigned or retired. Has the change in personnel resulted in an equal shift in approach? Does the new bench adhere to the policy-oriented approached that characterised the Mason Court? If not, has a coherent, consistent but different line emerged? What conclusions can be drawn? Yes to the first question, firmly answer the leading practitioners and academics who contribute to this book on current trends in constitutional interpretation. But No, to the second and third. Most members of the current Court, they argue, appear unwilling to embrace the Mason Court’s approach. Recent decisions, their analyses show, reflect new approaches to constitutional interpretation but ones that are at times more contradictory than consistent. This book covers the most important topics in contemporary constitutional law, and contains new insights and fresh approaches from leading writers from around Australia. Each Chapter deals with a topic of great contemporary interest and is written in a form that will appeal to practising lawyers as well as academics.