The development of administrative law is a prominent feature of the Australian legal landscape. The importance of this subject is highlighted by the fact that it is stipulated as a ‘core’ subject in the syllabi of many, if not most, law schools. One needs only to peruse the cases reported in the main law reports to appreciate its significance as a large area of legal practice.

In this volume of essays, the contributors examine a number of fundamental topics of practical and doctrinal importance. The contributors (who are drawn from academia, the judiciary and the legal profession) have sought to provide a lucid exposition of the relevant case law and principles and explore the doctrinal dimensions and theoretical underpinnings of those principles.

We hope this volume will be of great relevance and value to tertiary courses in Australian administrative law, the Australian legal system and government. As it will be concerned not only with the lucid exposition of the principles, but also with the scholarly exploration of doctrines and theories underpinning the subject, we expect that the volume will be of great interest to tertiary students, members of the judiciary, practitioners and legal academics.

We wish to record our gratitude to a number of persons who assisted us greatly in bringing this book to fruition. First and foremost we are extremely indebted to Enid Campbell, Emeritus Professor at Monash University and the undoubted doyenne of public law in Australia.