LAW2111 Study Guide - Final Guide: Colonial Laws Validity Act 1865, Statute Of Westminster 1931, Australian Constitutional Law
TOPIC&1:&INTRODUCTION&TO&AUSTRALIAN&CONSTITUTIONAL&LAW&
1.&PARLIAMENTARY&SOVEREIGNTY&
Parliament&has&absolute&legislative&power&(i.e.&it&can&make&and&unmake&any&law&it&wants)&
Ø ※!"#$%&&'$#$()*#('+,'-+,(#.-$)#+/#('0(1(&1"2-13#+)(4-5#5(6'#$(+')(#.)#+6()'(&1"2-13#+)(17'2-$*-+,(
-)$#208(
Ø 9$(9%$)"12-1('&#"1)#('+(1(!1"2-13#+)1":(;%&"#31/:(71$-$<()*#(2#,-$21)-'+(-$(-+=12-6(-0(-)(/'+)"16-/)$()*#(
/'+$)-)%)-'+(
Checks&on&Parliamentary&Power&
Ø >.)#"+12?(!'$$-7-2-):('0(1("#='2%)-'+(7:(%+$1)-$0-#6(9%$)"12-1+$(
Ø @+)#"+12?(!1"2-13#+)(-$(316#(%&('0(&#'&2#(A*'(A-22(7#(01-"(1+6($#"=#()*#(&#'&2#(
2.&CONSTITUTIONAL&CONVENTIONS&
Ø B%$)'3$(1+6(/'+=#+)-'+$()*1)(1"#(*17-)%122:(&"1/)-/#6()*1)(,'=#"+(*'A(2#,12(&'A#"$(1"#(#.#"/-$#6(C(
D#0#"()'()*#(B'+$)-)%)-'+12(/"-$-$(
Ø B'+$)-)%)-'+12(/'+=#+)-'+(1"#(+1""'A((
3.&REPUGNANCY&DOCTRINE&
Law&that&stated&Australian&laws&and&laws&of&other&colonies&could¬&contradict&British&laws&(if&it&was&
passed&express&for&the&colonies)&
Ø B'2'+-#$(7"'%,*)()',#)*#"<(7%)($)-22(%+6#"()*#(B'2'+-12(E1A$(=12-6-):(9/)(
4.&MAIN&EFFECTS&OF&THE&STATUTE&OF&WESTMINSTER&1931&
Repealed&Colonial&Laws&Validity&Act&in&respect&to&federal&government&
Ø FG(/'%26(+')(&1$$(21A$()'(9%$)"12-1(%+2#$$(9%$)"12-1(#.&"#$$2:("#H%#$)#6(-)(
v B'+)"16-/)$($)1)%)#('0(I#$)3-+$)#"(
5.&MAIN&EFFECTS&OF&THE&AUSTRALIA&ACT&1986&
Full&independence&achieved&(i.e.&abolished&the&repugnancy&doctrine&powers)&
Ø 9%$)"12-1(9/)(7-+6-+,('+()*#(/'+$)-)%)-'+('0(9%$)"12-1(6%#()'()*#($)1)#$(1,"##-+,('+()*#(B'+$)-)%)-'+(
6.&SECTION&OF&THE&AUSTRALIAN&CONSTITUTION&SETS&OUT&THE&RULES&FOR&AMENDING&THE&AUSTRALIAN&
CONSTITUTION&
S&128&
Ø B*1+,#()'($(J('"()*#(/'=#"-+,(/21%$#$('"()*#(&"#1372#(
7.&STEPS&FOR&AMENDING&THE&AUSTRALIAN&CONSTITUTION&
&
&
K5 93#+6#6(7:(L(*'%$#$(=-1(17$'2%)#(31M'"-):(4-5#5(122(&#'&2#()*1)(1"#(&1")('0(&1"2-13#+)8(
L5 ;%73-))#6()'(#2#/)'"$(4LNO3'+)*$(10)#"(&1$$-+,()*#("#$'2%)-'+8(
If&passed&by&one&house&only&‘may’:&
K5 K(*'%$#(+##6()'(A1-)(P(3'+)*$(-0()*#(')*#"(*'%$#(6'#$+Q)(&1$$(-)((
L5 R'%72#(31M'"-):((
v STU('=#"122(
v V1M'"-):('0($)1)#$(
※W"-&2#(31M'"-):(A*#+(-)(6-"#/)2:(100#/)$(1($)1)#Q$(/'+$)-)%)-'+12("-,*)$(4#5,5("#&"#$#+)1)-=#$8(
&
&
&
TOPIC&2:&STATE&LEGISLATIVE&POWERS&
1.&ORIGINS&OF&LEGISLATIVE&POWERS&OF&THE&STATES&
During&the&colonial&period,&the&Imperial&Parliament&granted&colonial&legislatures&plenary&legislative&power.&
Ø 9)(0#6#"1)-'+($$(KTO<(KTX(/'+)-+%#6()'(#+0'"/#()*#(2#,-$21)-=#(&'A#"$('0()*#(;)1)#(1+6(/'+)-+%#6()*#(
;:1)#(B'+$)-)%)-'+$(
Ø W*#(Australia)Act(/'+0-"3#6()*#(2#,-$21)-=#(&'A#"$('0()*#($)1)#(
2.&PLENARY&POWER&
Plenary&power&is&the&full&power&of&the&state&in&making&legislations&in&any&subject&matter&(i.e.&can&unmake&
or&make&any&law&it&likes)&(s&2).&
※;%7M#/)()'()*#(6#31+6$('0()*#(9%$)"12-1+(B'+$)-)%)-'+(
3.&LIMITATIONS&OF&LEGISLATIVE&POWER&OF&THE&AUSTRALIAN&STATES&
Ø D'7#")(B''Y?(!2#+1":(2#,-$21)-=#(&'A#"(/1++')(17"',1)#(0%+613#+)12(BE("-,*)$(
v !1"2-13#+)(*1$(-)$(&'A#"(6#"-=#6(0"'3(BE<($'(-)(A'%26(7#(/'+)"16-/)'":()'(17"',1)#()*#3(
Ø ZB?(E#0)(-)('&#+["#0%$#6()'(,-=#(1(6#0-+-)-=#(1+$A#"(7#/1%$#(-)(*1$+\)(*16()'<(7%)()*#(ZBQ$("#1$'+-+,(
#.&21-+-+,(A*:(]/#<(A#201"#(1+6(,''6(,'=#"+3#+)Q(1"#(+')(A'"6$('0(2-3-)1)-'+(-$(-+/'+$-$)#+)(A-)*(
)*#"#(7#-+,(1(2-3-)1)-'+(
Ø ^)*#"(B'%")$(4G-"7:(!8?(_'(
4.&MAIN&LIMITATIONS&ON&THE&LEGISLATIVE&POWERS&OF&THE&AUSTRALIAN&STATES&
K5 `"1+)-+,(2#,-$21)-=#(&'A#"('=#"(/#")1-+($%7M#/)(31))#"$(#./2%$-=#2:()'()*#(0#6#"12(&1"2-13#+)(4#5,5($(SL8(
L5 ;#/)-'+$('0(0#6#"12(/'+$)-)%)-'+()*1)(2-3-)()*#(&'A#"$('0()*#($)1)#(4#5,5($(KKa8(
P5 @3&2-#62:(2-3-)-+,()*#(&'A#"$('0()*#($)1)#(&1"2-13#+)(4#5,5(-3&2-#6(0"##6'3('0(/'33%+-/1)-'+8(
5.&AUSTRALIAN&STATES&REFERRING&POWER&TO&THE&COMMONWEALTH&PARLIAMENT&
The&states&can&decide&to&give&up&certain&powers&to&the&commonwealth,&as&the&federal&parliament&can&only&
make&laws&to&certain&areas.&(i.e.&states&can&expand&the&scope&of&federal&legislative&powers).&
※B1+(7#($%7M#/)()'()-3#(2-3-)$('"("#='/1)-'+((
K5 !'A#"(/1+(7#("#0#""#6('=#"(1($%7M#/)(31))#"(
L5 ;)1)#$(/1+(6"10)(1(2#,-$21)-'+(
v (_##6$()'(7#(1(&"#/-$#(&-#/#('0(2#,-$21)-'+(
(
Document Summary
Topic 1: introduction to australian constitutional law: parliamentary sovereignty. Parliament has absolute legislative power (i. e. it can make and unmake any law it wants) Presupposes the ongoing existence of a parliament (i. e. does not extend to parliament abolishing itself) As australia operate on a parliamentary supremacy basis, the legislation is invalid if it contradicts the constitution. External: possibility of a revolution by unsatisfied australians. Internal: parliament is made up of people who will be fair and serve the people: constitutional conventions. Customs and conventions that are habitually practiced that govern how legal powers are exercised . Law that stated australian laws and laws of other colonies could not contradict british laws (if it was passed express for the colonies) Colonies brought together, but still under the colonial laws validity act: main effects of the statute of westminster 1931. Repealed colonial laws validity act in respect to federal government.
