Deakin Law School news bites
DLS Professor Samantha Hepburn responds to CSIRO announcement of new Climate Science Centre – 26 April 2016
'The announcement today by CSIRO to establish a national climate research centre in Hobart suggests a strong shift in strategic direction. Following close on the heels of the decision by CSIRO Chief, Dr Larry Marshall, to reduce the climate research division at CSIRO, with approximately 275 climate change scientists and research staff at CSIRO losing their jobs, this new centre comes as a welcome relief. It will, of course, need to facilitate significant external collaboration to ensure success. Viewed from a positive perspective, and without in any way negating the devastating impact of the loss of crucial CSIRO researchers, it is to be hoped that this new initiative will fill what has become a gaping hole in climate change research in Australia. A national climate change centre capable of facilitating strong, collaborative, inter-disciplinary research is a crucially important move towards understanding and responding more effectively to the enormous imperatives connected with our climate change future.'
DLS academic presents CPD seminar – 20 April 2016
Deakin Law School lecturer, Dr Benjamin Hayward, recently presented a CPD seminar on ‘The Australian Arbitration Framework’ at a seminar series run by the Resolution Institute – a professional alternative dispute resolution body. Dr Hayward’s seminar was well attended by the profession, as well as interested law students, and addressed the legal rules underpinning international commercial arbitration and domestic commercial arbitration in Australia. A copy of Dr Hayward’s paper delivered at the seminar can be downloaded on the Deakin University website.
Professor Du Plessis addresses Rotary District Conference – 19 March 2016
On Saturday 19 March 2016, Professor Jean Du Plessis, Director, Centre for Comparative Corporate Governance and Professor at Deakin Law School, addressed 350 delegates attending the Rotary District Conference. The conference theme was 'Ethics in Leadership'. Professor Du Plessis focused on the importance of business ethics and, in particular the importance of a code of conduct. He argued that the ethical tone should be set at the top, but the ethical behaviour should be promoted throughout any organisation.
Dan Simmonds, Managing Principal Harwood Andrews Lawyers, chaired the session and emphasised the importance of different types of ethical conduct in different environments as well as the hypothesis of 'What is really the truth?'. Paul Cohen, Acting CEO, Barwon Health, focused on ethical behaviour in a medical and health context, while Stephanie Beard, Human Resources Manager at Harwood Andrews emphasised the importance of strong leadership in an organisation and fair treatment and openness in the workplace to create a friendly and collegial working environment.
Photo left to right: Dan Simmonds, Stephanie Beard Paul Cohen and Professor Jean du Plessis
DLS professors address ASIC – Investment Managers Superannuation (IMS) Conference – 8 March 2016
On invitation from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Professor Sandeep Gopalan, Dean of Law and Head of Deakin Law School and Professor Jean Du Plessis, Director, Centre for Comparative Corporate Governance and Professor at Deakin Law School, recently addressed 48 members of the ASIC Management Investment and Superannuation (IMF) team. The conference theme 'Workforce Diversity', lent itself to a focus on the merits and advantages of board gender diversity and both Prof. Gopalan and Prof. Du Plessis speculated, whether or not the business case for more women on boards should be the main argument for or against better board gender diversity.
The session was chaired by ASIC Commissioner John Price.
Photo left to right: Professor Sandeep Gopalan, Commissioner John Price, Professor Jean Du Plessis and Mr Tim Walker
DLS students learn about business with China – 18 February 2016
One of Deakin Law School's core strengths is its focus on course enrichment via the injection of real world experience for undergraduates. On 5 February, DLS students greatly benefited from a visit by Mr Neil Samuel, Managing Director of Dryen Australia Pty Ltd, which holds approximately 20 per cent of the Australian domestic bed linen market.
Mr Samual shared his key insights of conducting business with China, including advice on cultural sensitivities, business negotiation techniques, economic challenges and political awareness.
DLS academic interviewed on life and death decision making for micro prems – 5 February 2016
Over half of babies born at 23 weeks will have a disability, with 17 per cent of 23 weekers having a severe disability. Babies born at this age (extreme prematurity is defined at 24 weeks or less) face an uphill battle to survive.
And if they do, parents and staff often have to face what life looks like with a disability.
But is a life in pain better than no life at all? Find out more in a 2SER radio interview with Dr Neera Bhatia.
Deakin Law School celebrates MoU – 8 December 2015
On Tuesday, 8 December Deakin Law School signed an MoU with the prestigious Supreme People’s Procuracy (SPP) of Vietnam.
SPP is one of four pillars of the Vietnamese government, and is responsible for overseeing public prosecution and criminal procedures.
In 2013 Vietnam and Australia celebrated 40 years of comprehensive, diplomatic relations and SPP is responsible for working with the Australian government authorities to combat transnational crimes such as drug trafficking and money laundering.
DLS and SPP will work together to develop deeper collaborative relationships including postgraduate courses, joint research and training activities.
Tesla Kavanagh's essay receives commendation at 2015 Governor-General's prize – 6 November 2015
On Thursday, 29 October 2015, the judging panel for CEFA’s Governor-General’s Prize met at the High Court in Brisbane to interview the six finalists in this year’s essay competition.
The finalists wrote essays on different topics concerning the rule of law and protection of freedom — themes chosen to mark the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta.
Deakin Law School student finalist Tesla Kavanagh was commended for an essay on the history of the right to trial by jury, and its protection in the Australian Constitution.
For more information on Tesla's essay and experience at Deakin visit 'Tesla on trials by jury'.
Success with Deakin Cyber Security Strategic Research Centre bid – 23 October 2015
Deakin Law School is pleased to announce that a joint application between the Faculties of Business and Law and Science, Engineering and the Built Environment has been successful in obtaining funding and the status of a University Strategic Research Centre (SRC) (for 2016-2018) in the area of cyber security.
The Faculty of Business and Law will lead one of the five research themes within the Cyber Security SRC: Risk and Decision Making. This project will be lead jointly by Professor Matthew Warren and Professor Louis de Koker.
Professor Warren will also act in the role of Deputy Director, Cyber Security Strategic Research Centre.
Appointment of Deakin Law School academic as Section Editor
Deakin Law School Professor Jean du Plessis has been approached and has accepted the invitation of becoming the new Section Editor of the 'Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility' section of the Company and Securities Law Journal from 1 January 2016. The Company and Securities Law Journal is the leading company law journal in Australia and only one of a few specialised journals in the area of corporate law and corporate governance.
Deakin Law School lecturer's law reform submission – 13 October 2015
Deakin Law School lecturer Dr Benjamin Hayward has made a submission to the Singapore International Arbitration Centre’s consultation on the revision of its arbitration rules. The Singapore International Arbitration Centre is consulting widely with the profession, industry and academia on the revision of its arbitration rules with a view to revising its rules from mid-2016. Dr Hayward’s submission proposed changes to the way in which arbitrators identify the law that they will apply in resolving a dispute, when the parties have not chosen that law themselves, and can be downloaded here.
DLS academic visits Beijing and Hong Kong – 21-24 September 2015
From 21-24 September 2015, Deakin Law School Professor Jean du Plessis, presented seminars and delivered addresses to several prominent and influential institutions in Hong Kong and in Beijing:
- 21 September 2015: Professor du Plessis presented a staff seminar, attended by 42 academics, at the Faculty of Law, Hong Kong University. This was a seminar held jointly with the Asian Institute of International Finance Law (AIIFL) and the Centre for Financial Regulation & Economic Development (CFRED) on the topic 'New Trends Regarding Sustainability and Integrated Reporting for Companies: What Protection Do Directors Have?'
- 21 September 2015: Professor du Plessis addressed the Hong Kong Companies Registry, on the topic 'Proposal for Law Reform: The Honest and Reasonable Director Defence and other Proposals for Wider Protection against Personal Liability'. The audience consisted of Hong Kong’s Registrar of Companies, Ms Ada CHUNG Lai-ling, JP and 18 of the senior staff of the Hong Kong Companies Registry
- 21 September 2015: Professor du Plessis presented the keynote address at a joint seminar of the Hong Kong Institute of Company Secretaries (HKICS), CPA Hong Kong and the Law Society Hong Kong on the topic 'New Trends Regarding Sustainability and Integrated Reporting for Companies: What Protection Do Directors Have?'. Over 150 members of these organisations attended the seminar
- 22 September: Professor du Plessis presented to the Hong Kong Institute of Directors (HKIoD) at their Annual Directors’ Conference, attended by 120 delegates, on the topic 'World Trends in Corporate Governance'
- 24 September 2015: Professor du Plessis delivered an 2-hour guest lecture to a group of 32 postgraduate students at the Faculty of Law, Renmin University, Beijing on 'Recent Developments regarding Directors’ Duties, Liabilities and Defences against Liability'.
ATSE Unconventional Gas Conference – 22 and 23 September 2015
Professor Samantha Hepburn presents at the ATSE Unconventional Gas Conference at The Sofitel Wentworth, Sydney. The conference brings together international experts from Stanford, Texas, Oxford, Queensland and Sydney Universities, the CEO of CSIRO, the Executive Director of APPEA and leading governmental regulators. Professor Hepburns presentation discusses ownership, social licensing and access issues in unconventional gas projects in Australia.
Adani coal mine and climate change imperatives – September 2015
Professor Samantha Hepburn was interviewed on the above topic. You can access her statement at minute 31 on the 3CR website.
Victorian Parliament unconventional gas inquiry – August 2015
Deakin Law School Director of Research, Professor Samantha Hepburn today delivered a submission at the Parliamentary Comission regarding onshore development of unconventional gas in Victoria.
The objective of Onshore Unconventional Gas Regulation: Land Access, Compensation and Environmental Management is to assess and review the existing regulatory and policy framework in Victoria for unconventional gas development and to consider how that framework may be strengthened to respond more effectively to the core social and environmental concerns impacting Victoria.
The full submission can be accessed on the Deakin Law School research webpage.
Deakin Law School academic's book chapter reviewed by 'The Hindu' – August 2015
Deakin Law School Professor Christoph Antons has published a book chapter on 'Epistemic Communities and the "People without History'" The Contribution of Intellectual Property Law to the "Safeguarding" of Intangible Cultural Heritage ' in 'Diversity in Intellectual Property: Identities, Interests and Intersections', edited by Irene Calboli and Srividhya Ragavan.
The book was reviewed in 'The Hindu', one of the leading daily newspapers in India. The review is available at on their website. The book is published by Cambridge University Press and can be purchased on their website.
Deakin Law School academic gives keynote presentation at Reintegration Puzzle Conference – August 2015
Professor Mirko Bagaric gave a keynote presentation at the eleventh annual Reintegration Puzzle Conference, held in Brisbane on 6 August 2015. The conference focused on alternatives to prison and the issues which result in the over-representation of particular groups, such as Indigenous Australians, in the prison system.
Bagaric’s presentation examined the increasing prison population in the Australian and advanced solutions to the problem, including how to address the fact that Indigenous Australians are incarcerated at a rate of 12 times higher than the rest of the population.
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