I'm a Queenslander at the ANU Law School. In my writing, research, and teaching I'm interested in the legal questions that define our democracy, and the interface between law, politics, and government: constitutional law and human rights law. In particular, current major projects are on Australian constitutional fundamentals and on criminal fair trial rights under the ECHR. My academic work has been published in publications such as Public Law, the Human Rights Law Review, the Modern Law Review, and others, and cited by the European Court of Human Rights on numerous occasions. I regularly write and speak in the media and in the general community on a variety of public law issues, have done consultant and pro bono research work on related issues for a number of NGOs, and previously worked as a solicitor.
I also have a track record of university leadership and service. Since January 2025 I have been Head of School for the ANU Law School, leading an extraordinary team within the ANU College of Law, Governance, and Policy. Before this, I was Head of Scholars House for the ANU's Tuckwell Scholarship Program (2019-2024). In that role, reporting to the DVCA, I led a diverse team of academic and professional staff overseeing Australia's most transformational undergraduate scholarship program. For this work I was awarded the Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Contribution to the University (2023). I currently hold smaller roles with the Rhodes Scholarships and the Lionel Murphy Scholarships. Previously I was ANU Law's Director (2017-2019) of Higher Degree Research (ie Associate Dean HDR).
I work part-time to reflect my parenting responsibilities.
- BA(Hons I), LLB(Hons I) (UQ), BCL(Dist), DPhil (Oxon)
- Rhodes Scholar (Qld & Lincoln 2007)
- Ralph Chiles CBE Award (Oxford, 2008)
- University Medal (Law)(UQ, 2005)
- University Medal (Arts-History)(UQ, 2004)
- Admitted as Solicitor (Qld) in 2007
Appointments
Selected
- ANU: Associate Professor (2019- ) & Head of Scholars House for the Tuckwell Scholarship Program (2019-2024); Senior Lecturer (2016-18); Lecturer (2013-15)
- Lincoln College, University of Oxford: Junior Research Fellow in Law (2011-13)
- Associate to the Hon Justice PA Keane (Queensland Court of Appeal) (2006)
Related websites
View more publications on the ANU Researchers website
Link to ANU researchers profile
Research biography
I work on human rights law (especially ECHR/UK) and Australian public law.
Research projects & collaborations
Summary of recent research projects:
- R Goss 'What do Australians Talk About When They Talk About 'Parliamentary Sovereignty'?' (Jan 2022) Public Law 55-75 (SSRN with earlier version here)
- R Goss "The Undermining of Article 6 ECHR" (2019) European Yearbook of Human Rights 295-312
- R Goss "Power & Propriety: Coper's Encounter with the Dismissal" in J Stellios (ed), Encounters with Constitutional Interpretation and Legal Education (Federation Press, 2018).
- R Goss "Out of Many, One? Strasbourg's Ibrahim Decision on Article 6" (2017) 80(6) Modern Law Review 1137–1163
- R Goss "Voting Rights and Australian Local Democracy" (2017) 40(3) UNSWLJ 1008
- R Goss “Balancing Away Article 6 in Home Office v Tariq: Fair Trial Rights in Closed Material Proceedings” in G Martin et al (eds), Secrecy, Law and Society (ch 4)(Routledge, 2015)
- R Goss Criminal Fair Trial Rights: Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. (Hart Publishing, Oxford, 2014).
- (Book longlisted for the Inner Temple Book Prize 2015, shortlisted for the Peter Birks Book Prize for Outstanding Legal Scholarship 2015, and cited by Sajó & Laffranque JJ in Ibrahim v United Kingdom (ECtHR (Grand Chamber), 2016).
- R Goss “To the serious detriment of the public: Secret evidence and closed material procedures” in L Lazarus & JC McCrudden (eds), Reasoning Rights: Comparative Judicial Engagement (Hart Publishing, Oxford, 2014)(pp118-134).
- Lazarus L & R Goss, “Criminal Justice Under the UK Human Rights Act” (2013) 25 Singapore Academy of Law Journal 755
Case notes & book reviews
- Goss R. “Book Review: Amnesties in the Age of Human Rights Accountability” (2013) 1 European H Rts Law Review 108
- Goss R. “Book Review: Criminal Evidence and Human Rights: Reimagining Common Law Procedural Traditions” (2012) 6 European H Rts Law Rev 713
- Goss R. “Book Review: Fair Trial Rights, 2nd Edn” (2011) 2 European H Rts Law Rev 237
- Goss R. “Book Review: Australian Constitutional Law & Theory” (2007) 27 Qld Lawyer 311
PhD supervision
I am currently, and am willing to consider in future, supervising research projects at any level (including PhD/HDR/Masters/Honours/etc) in areas including:
If you are interested in PhD/HDR study, I strongly encourage you to read the Law How to Apply for HDR site carefully.
Previous supervision
Current courses
| Year | Course code | Course name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Class #5533 | Australian Public Law |
| 2023 | Class #6523 | International and Comparative Human Rights Law |
Previous courses
| Year | Course code | Course name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Class #5707 | Australian Public Law |
| 2021 | Class #4639 | International and Comparative Human Rights Law |
Philosophy & approach
At the Australian National University (2013- ):
At the University of Oxford (2010-2013):
How my works connects with public policy
My work relates to some of the biggest questions of public policy: how democracy functions, what limits are placed on what our governments can do, and what role is and ought to be played by we, the people.
I regularly write and speak in the media and in the general community on a variety of public law issues, and have done consultant and pro bono research on related issues for a number of NGOs.
