On the weekend of 10-11 December 2022, The Australian National University (ANU) College of Law hosted the second Symposium in honour of Professor Leslie Zines AO. The Symposium series brings together a select group of judges, practitioners and constitutional law scholars to discuss contemporary issues in constitutional law. The first Symposium was held in 2019, and led to the publication by The Federation Press of a collection of essays edited by Justice John Griffiths and Professor James Stellios FAAL.

A primary focus of the first day of the Symposium was the political and constitutional implications of COVID-19, with contributions by George Megalogenis, Laura Tingle, Chief Justice James Allsop, Stephen Donaghue KC, Professor Anne Twomey and Professor James Stellios FAAL. Other speakers during the Symposium included the Hon Alan Robertson SC, Justice Mark Leeming, Perry Herzfeld SC, Professor William Gummow AC, Justice Kristen Walker, Graeme Hill SC, Associate Professor Will Bateman and Justice Robert Beech-Jones. The Symposium concluded with a panel discussion on the Voice to Parliament and Indigenous recognition by Professor Asmi Wood, Professor Robert French AC and the Hon Kenneth Hayne AC KC.

Co-convenor of the Symposium, Professor James Stellios FAAL, said that ‘the inspiration for the symposium came from Justice John Griffiths who wanted to continue Professor Zines’ legacy of academic excellence in constitutional law at ANU’. The intention was to establish an event that would ‘bring together leading constitutional lawyers to have candid conversations about important contemporary constitutional issues’.

Symposium participant and incoming Dean of the ANU College of Law, Professor Tony Connolly, said that ‘the remarkable turnout reflects the esteem maintained by the judiciary, the profession and the academy towards our former Dean and colleague Professor Leslie Zines’. The next Symposium is planned for early 2025.