Counter-terrorism laws: special issue of UNSW Law Journal

09 December 2004

Terrorism has been a key political focus since September 11 2001. It has given rise to a large body of law and has stimulated debate about the balance between national security and the preservation of the civil liberties that are such an integral part of our liberal democracy. Questions about whether the legal response to terror departs from the established legal framework, and whether this departure is justified, are relevant as reform progresses.

A special issue of the UNSW Law Journal, Counter-Terrorism Laws, contributes to the debate with articles by experts including:

Articles cover the legal effect of the counter-terrorism measures and examine the historical context from which they arose, the legal institutions that created them, the political forces that determined their dimensions, their place in the global legal framework, and their relationship with the established legal norms of Australia.

"This publication compiles the expertise of leading figures reflecting on issues that will affect the nature of our society in years to come," Journal editor Anna Saulwick said.

The Hon John Dowd QC AO, President, Australian Section, International Commission of Jurists, will launch the publication at the Sydney offices of Mallesons Stephen Jaques on Wednesday 8 December 2004. A full list of authors and articles is attached.

The UNSW Law Journal is a refereed publication and one of the most widely cited legal reviews in Australia. It is also the only entirely student-run publication of its kind.

For more information: Anna Saulwick, Editor, 9385 2237, 0404 486 706. Rebecca Finkelstein, Executive Editor, 0402 057 609, law.journal@unsw.edu.au
Media contact: Denise Knight, UNSW Media Office, 0405 207 685.