Anna Talbot
Anna teaches and researches in public international law (international human rights law and international refugee law). She is completing a PhD with the Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW Sydney, focusing on how the right to life can protect people at risk of displacement (or already displaced) in the context of climate change. She also coordinates the Strategic Litigation Network for the Kaldor Centre, connecting lawyers and academics to support litigation relevant to refugees.
Prior to commencing her PhD, Anna worked as a litigation solicitor, having conducted complex strategic human rights litigation in various courts throughout Australia, the United Kingdom and Europe. She has been involved in precedent-setting cases, including to secure urgent, life-saving medical care for refugee children detained offshore by the Australian government, release from indefinite immigration detention, and compensation for survivors of torture and sexual violence in Kenya. Earlier, while living in London, Anna represented Amnesty International at the United Nations in Geneva and New York, focusing on expert human rights mechanisms.
Anna has appeared as an expert witness before Australian Parliamentary inquiries and served as a member of the Law Society of NSW’s Human Rights Law Committee. She has published widely, including on refugee and human rights issues and presented at conferences on domestic and international law.
Research topic
The right to life and displacement in the context of climate change
Anna’s thesis examines how the right to life can offer protection to people at risk of displacement (or already displaced) in the context of climate change. Specifically, it explores how transnational judicial dialogue (the dialogue that occurs either overtly or covertly between domestic, regional and international courts) has shaped, and can continue to shape, the right to life as it is invoked to protect people at risk of this form of displacement.
Supervisors
Scientia Professor Jane McAdam
Associate Professor Daniel Ghezelbash
Areas of interest
Public International Law; International Human Rights Law; International Refugee Law; Tort Law
- Publications
- Presentations
Foster M; Lambert H; McAdam J; Talbot A, (2023) Submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, ‘Draft General Comment No 26: Children’s Rights and the Environment with a Special Focus on Climate Change
Gleeson M; Talbot A, (2023) Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Evacuation to Safety) Bill 2023
Talbot A, (2019) The constitutionality of Australia's offshore detention regime 153 Precedent 30
Talbot A, (2017) The use of secret evidence in civil and criminal proceedings 142 Precedent 30
Talbot A, (2016) Work Health and Safety Act v Australian Border Force Act: immigration detention workers caught in the crossfire 135 Precedent 22
Talbot A; Barns G, Turnbull’s attack on 18C case based on a serious error (12 November 2016), The Sydney Morning Herald
Talbot A; Barns G, Continuing Detention Orders: When courts try to predict the future, we’re in a legal twilight zone (7 November 2016) The Sydney Morning Herald
Talbot A, Relax, gang. S18C of the Racial Discrimination Act does not need to be changed (20 September 2016) The Sydney Morning Herald
Talbot A, Mitchell E, (2016) Untold Damage: Workplace health and safety in immigration detention under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth), Australian Lawyers Alliance Research Report
Presenter, 2023 Queenwood Leadership Conference, International Refugee Law
Panellist, 2022 Kaldor Centre Conference, ‘Turning points: New directions in refugee protection’
Presenter, 2016 Australian Lawyers Alliance Conference, Offshore Detention and Workplace Health and Safety
Presenter, 2016 Australian Lawyers for Human Rights training, Engaging with Expert UN Human Rights Mechanisms