Associate Professor Amelia Simpson
BA Hons (ANU), LLB Hons (ANU), LLM (Columbia), JSD (Columbia), Barrister and Solicitor in the High Court of Australia
Honorary Associate Professor
ANU College of Law
Areas of expertise
- Constitutional Law 180108
- Comparative Law 180106
- Australian Government And Politics 160601
- Legal Institutions (Incl. Courts And Justice Systems) 180120
- Legal Theory, Jurisprudence And Legal Interpretation 180122
Research interests
Australian and comparative constitutional law
Australian public law
Discrimination law
Law and development
Biography
Amelia Simpson joined the ANU College of Law in 2000. Her teaching and research focus on domestic and comparative constitutional law and her doctoral thesis examined conceptions of discrimination in Australian constitutional jurisprudence. Her publications include pieces on constitutional interpretation and reform, chapters in the Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia and the Oxford Handbook of Australian Constitutional Law, and contributions to numerous edited collections. Her research has been cited with approval in the High Court and Federal Court.
Publications
- Bateman, W, Meagher, D, Simpson, A and Stellios, J, Hanks Australian Constitutional Law: Materials and Commentary (LexisNexis, 11th ed, 2021), LexisNexis, Australia.
- Simpson, A 2020, 'Comments: "We are not Epidemiologists": COVID-19 in the High Court', Public Law Review, vol. 31, pp. 241-247.
- Levy, R, Simpson, A, O'Flynn, I et al 2018, 'Designing Referendums for Peacemaking: The Case of Bougainville', Australasian Parliamentary Review, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 6-40.
- Simpson, A 2018, 'Brown v Tasmania: High court delivers a win for protesters', Law Society of NSW journal, no. 41, pp. 90-91.
- Simpson, A 2018, 'Equal Treatment and Non-discrimination through the Functionalist Lens', in Rosalind Dixon (ed.), Australian Constitutional Values, Hart Publishing, Oxford UK; Portland, Oregon USA, pp. 195-217.
- Simpson, A 2018, 'Parliament', in Cheryl Saunders and Adrienne Stone (eds.), Oxford Handbook of the Australian Constitution, Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom.
- Simpson, A 2016, 'Treachery or Heroism? The Judgment of Justices Deane and Toohey in Leeth v Commonwealth (1992)', in Andrew Lynch (ed.), Great Australian Dissents, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom, pp. 251-272.
- Meagher, D, Simpson, A, Stellios, J, Wheeler, F, Hanks Australian Constitutional Law: Materials and Commentary (2016, 10th ed), LexisNexis, Annandale, NSW.
- Simpson, A 2014, 'Fortescue Metals Group Ltd v Commonwealth: Discrimination and fiscal federalism', Public Law Review, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 93-98.
- Simpson, A 2014, 'Fortescue Metals Group Litd v Commonwealth: Discrimination and Fiscal Federalism', Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law Constitutional Conference, Conference Organising Committee, Sydney, Australia.
- Simpson, A & Stellios, J 2009, Submission to Human Rights Consultation - Constitutional Rights.
- Simpson, A 2008, 'The (Limited) Significance of the Individual in Section 117 State Residence Discrimination', Melbourne University Law Review, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 639-671.
- Simpson, A 2008, 'Comment: Betfair Pty Ltd v Western Australia', Public Law Review, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 191-196.
- Simpson, A 2007, 'The High Court's conception of discrimination: origins, applications and implications', Sydney Law Review, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 263-295.
- Simpson, A 2006, 'Sweedman v Transport Accident Commission: State Residence Discrimination and the High Court's Retreat into Characterisation', Federal Law Review, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 363-376.
- Simpson, A 2005, 'The limited protection given to free speech', ecoDate, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 8-9.
- Simpson, A 2005, 'Book Review: The Logic of Equality: A Formal Analysis of Non-discrimination Law', Federal Law Review, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 177-179.
- Simpson, A 2005, 'Grounding the High Courts Modern Section 92 Jurisprudence: The Case for Improper Purpose As the Touchstone', Federal Law Review, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 445-484.
- Simpson, A 2004, 'Public Confidence in Judicial Institutions: Are We a Player Short? a review of The Australian Judiciary by Enid Campbell and H.P. Lee', Legal Ethics, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 289-300.
- Simpson, A 2004, 'State Immunity from Commonwealth Laws: Austin v Commonwealth and Dilemmas of Doctrinal Design', University of Western Australia Law Review, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 44-62.
- Simpson, A & Wood, M 2001, 'A Puny Thing Indeed: Cheng v The Queen and the Constitutional Right to Trial by Jury', Federal Law Review, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 95-113.
- Blackshield, A, Fricke, G & Simpson, A 2001, 'Litigants, notable, 1903-1945', in Blackshield (ed.), Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 436-440.
- Blackshield, A, Fricke, G & Simpson, A 2001, 'Litigants, notable, 1945-2001', in Blackshield (ed.), Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 440-444.
- Simpson, A & Durack, P 2001, 'Attorneys-General', in Blackshield (ed.), Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 39-43.
- Simpson, A & Simpson, T 2001, 'Personal relations', in Blackshield (ed.), Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 528-531.
- Simpson, A 2001, 'Annual Reports', in Blackshield (ed.), Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 18-19.
- Simpson, A 2001, 'Research assistance', in Blackshield (ed.), Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Australia, p. 600.
- Simpson, A 2001, 'Reform of Court', in Blackshield (ed.), Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 588-590.
- Simpson, A & Eddy, J 2001, 'World War I', in Blackshield (ed.), Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 727-730.
- McKenna, M, Simpson, A & Williams, G 2001, 'First Words:The Preamble to the Australian Constitution', University of New South Wales Law Journal, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 382-400.
- McKenna, M, Simpson, A & Williams, G 2001, 'With Hope in God, the Prime Minister and the Poet: Lessons from the 1999 Referendum on the Preamble', University of New South Wales Law Journal, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 401-419.
- Simpson, A & Williams, G 2000, 'International Law and Constitutional Interpretation', Public Law Review, vol. 11, pp. 205-227.
- Simpson, A 1998, 'The Australian Education Union Case: a Quiet Revolution?', Griffith Law Review, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 30-61.
- Williams, G & Simpson, A 1997, 'The Expanding Frontiers of Commonwealth Intervention in Industrial Relations', Australian Journal of Labour Law, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 222-228.
- Simpson, A 1997, 'Heritage Status in New South Wales: Are Private Owners Compensated Adequately?', Environmental and Planning Law Journal, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 243-248.
Projects and Grants
Grants information is drawn from ARIES. To add or update Projects or Grants information please contact your College Research Office.
- Northern Australian Beef Industry Situation analysis (Secondary Investigator)
- Options Analysis Plastic Shopping Bags Ban Act 2010 (ACT) (Secondary Investigator)
