Biography
Dr Ben Saunders is an Associate Professor at Deakin Law School. Ben's principal areas of research interest are constitutional law, especially executive power and responsible government, law and religion, and public sector governance.
He recently published Responsible Government and the Australian Constitution: A Government for a Sovereign People (Hart Studies in Comparative Public Law, 2023).
Ben has over 10 years of professional experience, having worked in private practice and with the Victorian and Commonwealth governments, advising on constitutional law and human rights, among other things. Prior to joining Deakin University, he was a Principal Lawyer at the National Disability Insurance Agency.
SSRN page: http://ssrn.com/author=648043
Read more on Ben's profileResearch interests
- Constitutional law
- Law and religion
- Natural law
- Public Governance
Media appearances
‘God and Religion in the Australian Constitution’, interview with Political Animals podcast, 18 September 2022 <https://anchor.fm/politicalanimals/episodes/God-and-Religion-in-the-Australian-Constitution--with-Dr-Ben-Saunders-e1o0com>.
Nik Dirga, ‘Party On! Constitution Claim Judged to be Utter Nonsense’ AAP FactCheck 21 June 2022 <https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/party-on-constitution-claim-judged-as-utter-nonsense>.
‘Human Rights Implications of Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccinations in Victoria’, ABC Religion & Ethics, 8 October 2021 <https://www.abc.net.au/religion/human-rights-and-mandatory-covid-19-vaccinations/13577278>.
‘Human Rights and Constitutional Law’, longform interview for Discernable, 10 November 2021 <https://discernable.io/dr-ben-saunders-human-rights-and-constitutional-law>.
Awards
Article/Chapter (General) Award, Australian Legal Research Awards, 2023.
Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2018–2019.
Deakin University Vice-Chancellor’s Early Career Researcher Award for Career Excellence, 2018.
Publications
Phillip Lipton, Abe Herzberg, Ben Saunders, Catherine Robinson
(2024), Sydney, N.S.W., A1
Responsible Government and the Australian Constitution: A Government for a Sovereign People
Benjamin Saunders
(2023), Oxford, Eng., A1
B Saunders
(2022), pp. 112-129, Christianity, Ethics and the Law: The Concept of Love in Christian Legal Thought, London, Eng., B1
Ben Saunders
(2022), Vol. 45, pp. 695-729, Melbourne University Law Review, Melbourne, Vic., C1
Taking Seriously the Free Exercise of Religion under the Australian Constitution
B Saunders, D Meagher
(2021), Vol. 43, pp. 287-314, Sydney Law Review, C1
B Saunders, A Deagon
(2021), Vol. 44, pp. 1558-1583, University of New South Wales Law Journal, C1
An Analysis of the Enforcement of Duties Owed by Public Sector Officials
Benjamin Saunders, David Lau
(2021), Vol. 32, pp. 313-330, PUBLIC LAW REVIEW, C1
Responsible government, statutory authorities and the Australian Constitution
B Saunders
(2020), Vol. 129, pp. 1-26, Federal law review, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
Principles, pragmatism and power: Another look at the historical context of section 116
A DEAGON, B SAUNDERS
(2020), Vol. 43, pp. 1033-1068, Melbourne University Law Review, C1
B Saunders, S Kennedy
(2020), Vol. 40, pp. 591-618, Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, C1
Nicholas Aroney, Benjamin Saunders
(2019), pp. 285-312, The Legal Protection of Rights in Australia, Oxford, Eng., B1
An analysis of the enforcement of the statutory duty of care by ASIC
Ian Ramsay, B Saunders
(2019), Vol. 36, pp. 497-521, Company and securities law journal, Rozelle, N.S.W., C1
Popular Sovereignty, "the People" and the Australian Constitution: A Historical Reassessment
Benjamin Saunders, Simon Kennedy
(2019), Vol. 30, pp. 36-57, PUBLIC LAW REVIEW, C1
The public sector duty of care and diligence
B Saunders
(2019), Vol. 42, pp. 652-680, University of New South Wales Law Journal, C1
Causation in securities and financial product disclosure cases: an analysis and critique
B Saunders
(2019), Vol. 47, pp. 494-518, Federal law review, London, Eng., C1
Deliberation at the Founding: Deliberative Democracy as an Original Constitutional Value
Ron Levy, Neomal Silva, Benjamin Saunders
(2017), Vol. 28, pp. 41-60, PUBLIC LAW REVIEW, C1
Re Robert John Day AO: section 44(v) of the Australian Constitution revisited
O Roos, B Saunders
(2017), Vol. 39, pp. 123-134, Sydney Law Review, Sydney, N.S.W., C1
On judicial rascals and self-appointed monarchs: the rise of judicial power in Australia
N Aroney, B Saunders
(2017), Vol. 36, pp. 221-245, University of Queensland law journal, Brisbane, Qld., C1
Oscar Roos, Benjamin Saunders
(2017), Vol. 39, pp. 123-134, SYDNEY LAW REVIEW, C1-1
Securities lending, empty voting and corporate governance
P Ali, I Ramsay, B Saunders
(2014), Vol. 8, pp. 326-341, Law and financial markets review, Abingdon, Eng., C1-1
The legal structure and regulation of securities lending (Pt 1)
B Saunders, I Ramsay,, P Ali,
(2014), pp. 480-489, Journal of international banking law and regulation, Hebden Bridge, Eng., C1-1
The legal structure and regulation of securities lending (Pt 2)
B Saunders, I Ramsay,, P Ali
(2014), pp. 581-591, Journal of international banking law and regulation, Hebden Bridge, Eng., C1-1
The legal structure and regulation of securities lending
B Saunders, P Ali,, I Ramsay,
(2014), Sydney, N.S.W., A6-1
Securities lending, empty voting and corporate governance
B Saunders, I Ramsay,, P Ali,
(2014), Sydney, N.S.W., A6-1
Democracy, liberty and the prerogative: the displacement of inherent executive power by statute
B Saunders
(2013), Vol. 41, pp. 363-392, Federal law review, Acton, A.C.T., C1-1
The Commonwealth and the chaplains: executive power after Williams v Commonwealth
B Saunders
(2012), Vol. 23, pp. 153-160, Public law review, Pyrmont, N.S.W., C1-1
B Saunders, I Ramsay,
(2011), Vol. 25, pp. 112-149, Australian journal of corporate law, Chatswood, N.S.W., C1-1
Should credit default swap issuers be subject to prudential regulation?
B Saunders
(2010), Vol. 10, pp. 427-450, Journal of corporate law studies, Abingdon, Eng., C1-1
B Saunders
(2010), Vol. 21, pp. 33-55, Journal of banking and finance law and practice, New York, N.Y., C1-1
B Saunders, I Ramsay
(2006), Vol. 6, pp. 397-446, Journal of corporate law studies, London, Eng., C1-1
B Saunders
(2004), Vol. 22, pp. 535-544, Company and securities law journal, New York, N.Y., C1-1
Funded Projects at Deakin
No Funded Projects at Deakin found
Supervisions
Edwin Amos Awuor Tongoi
Thesis entitled: Mobile Financial Services: Regulatory responses-Kenya, South Africa and Australia
Doctor of Philosophy, Deakin Law School