Water Law & Natural Resources Management (LAWS70185)
Graduate coursework level 7Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
Contact information
November
Teaching Staff:
Erin O'Donnell (Subject Coordinator)
For current student enquiries, contact the Law School Academic Support Office
Overview
| Availability(Quotas apply) | November |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
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.
Indicative list of principal topics:
- International and comparative 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.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject will be able to:
- Appreciate the importance of water law at an international, national and regional level in terms of increasing water resource pressures and the impacts of human development upon water;
- Analyze the key features of international water law treaties, conventions and case law; including by reference to sustainability and human rights objectives.
- Analyze the sources of inter-jurisdictional conflicts over water, analyze the context for water law development in Australia;
- Appreciate common themes and challenges experienced in the water law regimes of other national jurisdictions
- Understand water law and policy at an Australian state and federal level, with specific knowledge of the Water Act 1989 (Vic); Water Act 2007 (C’th) and the Basin Plan;
- Understand and analyze the role of water markets;
- Synthesize knowledge about; and evaluate the development of environmental water law concepts;
- Understand and apply the general concepts of water quality and water pollution laws; and
- Reflect upon and critically evaluate issues around cultural water values and indigenous peoples’ rights to water.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Applicants without legal qualifications should note that subjects are taught at an advanced graduate level and requires a thorough background in common law. While efforts are made to meet the needs of students trained in other fields, teaching and assessment activities are designed to give an advanced and integrated understanding of the discipline of law for legal practitioners, learners and researchers.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
In-class presentation (oral presentation (10 mins), lead discussion (5 mins) and written presentation (1,000 - 1,500 words) (10% oral and 15% written)
| Due date of presentations to be finalised during the teaching period. | 25% |
Research paper on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
| 14 January 2026 | 75% |
| Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 75% attendance. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- November
Principal coordinator Erin O'Donnell Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 34 Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 8 October 2025 Pre teaching requirements Please refer to the Reading Guide on the LMS subject page for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 5 November 2025 to 11 November 2025 Last self-enrol date 13 October 2025 Census date 7 November 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 19 December 2025 Assessment period ends 23 January 2026 November contact information
Teaching Staff:
Erin O'Donnell (Subject Coordinator)
For current student enquiries, contact the Law School Academic Support Office
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
Please refer to the Melbourne Law Masters enrolment webpage for further information about re-enrolment, subject quotas and waitlists.
Melbourne Law School may reserve places in a subject for incoming international cohorts or where a subject is core to a specialisation with limited alternate options.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If subject coordinator approval is required, or for further information about Community Access Program study, please contact us
(enquiries for current students | enquiries for prospective students). - Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 4 March 2025