Water law and natural resources management are fundamental to human society, environmental protection and economic productivity. Legal rules around water are found in all societies. Water is both a human right but also a source of conflict – that law seeks to regulate. There is increasing pressure on water globally, and extreme events such as drought, heighten tensions around water allocation in Australia and many other countries.

The subject considers the international laws governing freshwater, including trans-jurisdictional water governance for major shared river systems. It examines contemporary trends in water law and governance such climate change impacts on water availability. It provides an overview of common law rules around water allocation and water quality. There is a major focus on indigenous water rights and rights for rivers.

The subject provides an in-depth understanding of the federal water legislation governing the Murray-Darling Basin and the Victorian water legislation- including water trading. It introduces urban water laws, with a focus on water pollution controls. It examines the innovative reforms around environmental water and the ecological protection of rivers and groundwater. It provides a case study of the impacts on groundwater due to mining and fracking.

Principal topics include:

International law and policy governing water, including relevant treaties and conventions, and case law
Water rights: including human rights and Indigenous peoples’ rights
Common law rules for surface and groundwater
The Australian national water law reform model
The Water Act 2007 (Cth), including water trading and water planning
Environmental water law and regulation – including the Environmental Water Holders
Victorian water laws, including water authorities and governance models
Water quality: addressing point source and diffuse water pollution
Integrated catchment legislation
Urban water laws, including water-sensitive urban design.

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Graduate Diploma in Government Law

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Entry requirements for the Graduate Diploma in Government Law

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