Course overview
This course provides an examination of the law relating to water resources in Australia with a particular emphasis on South Australian legislative controls and policy which regulate water use and management. Topics may include: 1. A brief overview of water management at the international level; 2. Common law rights in relation to surface and groundwater and the nature of statutory modifications to those rights; 3. The development of statutory regimes for water allocation; The impact of the National Water reforms; 4. Federal /State arrangements for the management of water; 5. The nature and purpose of water trading systems together with examination of the regulatory structures associated with such systems; 6. The development of catchment management systems and the concept of environmental flows; 7. Issues associated with water in the urban context; 8. The regulation of water quality; 9. The possible role for law in resolving future issues of water scarcity and declining water quality.
Course learning outcomes
- To understand legal citation conventions in the course of legal writing
- To be able to apply those principles to problem-solving exercises
- To develop the capacity to analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources and experiences
- To have an awareness of the incompleteness of law and the continuous state of development of legal principles
- To develop development of critical thinking and problem solving skills
- To apply good inter-personal and communication skills in both written and oral communication and independently and as a member of a team
- To further enhance written and oral skills in the explanation of, analysis and synthesis of legal principle
- To develop an ability to critically analyse and apply legislation, rules and cases in context
- To develop the capacity to identify factual and legal issues
- To apply excellent research skills