Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Associate Professor Melissa Castan is Director of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, and Associate Dean (Staffing) in the Law Faculty. She has also been Associate Dean (Education) and Director Equity, in the Faculty. She has over 25 years experience teaching, researching and publishing in Australian Public Law, Constitutional law, Human Rights Law, Indigenous Legal Issues and Legal Education.
Melissa's most recent ARC Project is Real-time rights-based recordkeeping governance with Professor Moira Paterson, Associate Professor Joanne Evans and Professor Elisabeth Shepherd. It explores how records co-creation can be conceptualised in child protection and information law and overseen dynamically through a new digitally enabled, child-centred and rights-based advocacy and regulatory framework (2020-2023).
Her most recent books are Critcal Perspectives in Human Rights Law in Australia co-editied with Professer Paula Gerber; The Global Lawyer (2019) Associate Professor Kate Galloway, and Professor John Flood; and Federal Constitutional Law: A Contemporary View (2019) with Professor Sarah Joseph. She is also co-author, with Professor Sarah Joseph, of The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Cases, Commentary and Materials (OUP, 2013), The impact of this book is wide-ranging, with citations in the High Court of Australia and other Australian judgments, in the European Court of Human Rights and further citations by the UK House of Lords, the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, the New Zealand Courts, the Supreme Court of Pitcairn Island, numerous international law bodies, and in law reform commission reports.
Melissa is an experienced HDR and Honours supervisor, and is available for PhD supervisions in her areas of expertise.
Melissa is National Convenor of the Alternative Law Journal, and hosts podcasts 'Law Radio' and 'Just Cases'. She tweets as @drmcastan.
Biography
Indigenous Peoples and the Law
Australian Public Law
Constitutional Law
Human Rights
International Human Rights Law
legal Identity
Legal History
Legal Education
Monash teaching commitment
International Human Rights Law
Public Law and Statutory Interpretation
Foundations of Law
Constitutional Law
Indigenous Rights and International Law
External positions
Board Member, Victoria Law Foundation (Victoria)
1 Oct 2015 → …
National Editorial Convenor, Alternative Law Journal
Research area keywords
- Human Rights
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Law
- Constitutional Law
- International Human Rights
- Public law
- Legal history
- Legal Education
- Indigenous Rights
- Legal Identity
Network
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Real-time rights-based recordkeeping governance
Evans, J., Paterson, M., Castan, M. & Shepherd, E.
12/12/20 → 11/12/23
Project: Research
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Contract in relation to research into record keeping by institutions with responsibilities for the care and welfare of children
10/10/14 → 31/05/15
Project: Research
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Closing the Gap on Indigenous Birth Registration
Gerber, P., Castan, M., Freemantle, C. & Russell, L.
Australian Research Council (ARC), Plan International Australia, Clayton Utz Lawyers, South East Australian Aboriginal Justice Services Limited (trading as Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service), Rise Network Inc, Equal Opportunity Commission Western Australia, Tangentyere Council, Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships (Queensland)
2/07/12 → 31/12/18
Project: Research
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Strengthening legal protection for vulnerable groups
Joseph, S., Castan, M. & Debeljak, J.
Attorney-General's Department (Australia)
12/05/11 → 30/06/11
Project: Research
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Critical Perspectives on Human Rights Law in Australia
Gerber, P. (ed.) & Castan, M. (ed.), 2021, 1st ed. Prymont NSW Australia: Thomson Lawbook Co. 662 p.Research output: Book/Report › Edited Book › Other › peer-review
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Many interests, one place: the unsustainability of a hierarchy of rights to land
Galloway, K. & Castan, M., 2021, In: Pandora's Box. 27, p. 1-16 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Public Law and Statutory Interpretation: Principles and Practice
Burton Crawford, L., Boughey, J., Castan, M. & O'Sullivan, M., 2021, 2nd ed. Annandale NSW Australia: Federation Press. 370 p.Research output: Book/Report › Book › Other › peer-review
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The High Court and human rights: powers, proportionality and presumptions
Castan, M. & O'Bryan, K., 2021, Critical Perspectives on Human Rights Law in Australia. Gerber, P. & Castan, M. (eds.). 1st ed. Sydney NSW Australia: Thomson Lawbook Co, p. 79-102 24 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Other › peer-review
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The Global Lawyer
Galloway, K., Castan, M. & Flood, J., 2020, 1st ed. Chatswood NSW Australia: LexisNexis Butterworths. 198 p.Research output: Book/Report › Book › Research › peer-review
Activities
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Submission on behalf of the Castan Centre to the EMRIP Report on Self-Determination
Katie O'Bryan (Contributor) & Melissa Castan (Contributor)
1 Mar 2021Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
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Legal Geography Symposium 2020
Melissa Castan (Invited speaker) & Kate Galloway (Invited speaker)
6 Feb 2020Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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Submission to the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition Relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples 2018, on behalf of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law
Katie O'Bryan (Contributor), Melissa Castan (Contributor) & Kate Galloway (Contributor)
2018Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
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Submission to Senate Community Affairs References Committee Inquiry: Design, Scope, Cost-benefit Analysis, Contracts Awarded and Implementation Associated with the Better Management of the Social Welfare System Centrelink Initiative.
Kate Galloway (Contributor) & Melissa Castan (Contributor)
2017Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
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Access to Retained Data in Civil Proceedings: Submission to Government Consultation
Melissa Castan (Contributor) & Adam Fletcher (Contributor)
30 Jan 2017Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
Press / Media
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High Court rules Indigenous people cannot be deported as aliens, but the fight for legal recognition remains
Melissa Castan & Kate Galloway
11/02/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Just Cases Podcast; EPISODE 14: "Now free speech has been killed as well" 12 July 2019 (with Dr Caroline Henckels, co-hosted by Melissa Castan and James Pattison)
Tania Penovic, Caroline Henckels, Melissa Castan & James Pattison
12/07/19
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Podcasts
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Is liking something on Facebook ‘protected political speech’? It depends
14/08/17
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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How the 2016 Census Breaches the Right to Privacy
Caroline Henckels & Melissa Castan
27/09/16
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Explainer: what Indigenous constitutional recognition means
18/09/14
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature