Will Partlett

The US Constitution is fragile. How can it be defended in the Trumpian era? Podcast Episode · Justice with Jon Faine · 05/19/2025 · 22m

Some of my thoughts on how Trump is using Russian-style tactics to transform the US Constitution and how to defend it. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

Governments are becoming increasingly secretive. Here’s how they can be made to be more transparent As freedom of information disclosures decrease and less documents are available for public scrutiny, we need better ways to hold politicians to account.

Important piece here on Australia's growing accountability crisis, why it matters, and how to fix it. theconversation.com/governments-...

Justice with Jon Faine Podcast · Melbourne Law School · Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice, a weekly podcast about the law behind the news.

On Spotify here: open.spotify.com/show/18Ufqlx...

Justice with Jon Faine News Commentary Podcast · Updated Weekly · Melbourne Law School and host Jon Faine bring you Justice, a weekly podcast about the law behind the news.

Interested in law and current affairs? New podcast alert to freshen up your feed. Justice with Jon Faine - discussions with Melbourne Law School academics on topics that matter today. Available here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/j...

Terrific lineup of speakers and topics! Looking forward to it.

2025 CCCS Constitutional Law Conference 2025 CCCS Constitutional Law Conference

Our Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies Conference is set for 24 and 25 July 2025! Early bird registration is open now: law.unimelb.edu.au/centres/cccs...

Could Trump constitutionally get a third term by running as Vance's VP and then taking over after Vance resigned? No. The 12th Amendment states that 'no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.'

Top Senate Republican Protests Trump Bid to Withhold Spending Senator Susan Collins of Maine, the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, joined top Democrats in insisting that the president does not have the power to “pick and choose” what to fund.

One of the most important debates about presidential power here: how much power does the President have to ignore Congressional appropriations? Imptant that he is facing pushback from Republican Senators on this. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/u...

Please sign up for the Centre for Public Integrity's (publicintegrity.bsky.social) new podcast series. Already got six episodes up and more great content to come, including an interview with the Attorney General. Watch this space, literally! podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/c...

How can we be sure the NACC will investigate robodebt properly? The NACC has been characteristically secretive about its reasons for backflipping on robodebt.

"University of Melbourne Law School Associate Professor and Centre for Public Integrity fellow William Partlett says the NACC needs to ensure the public can have trust in the process, and that there are ways to ensure it is conducted properly."

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#auspol

www.crikey.com.au/2025/02/19/n...

Did The Supreme Court Already Accept Donald Trump’s Autocratic Vision Of The Presidency? Trump Thinks So. | Constitutional Accountability Center The first month of President Donald Trump’s second term in office has been marked by a flurry of actions that can most generously be described as legally and constitutionally dubious ― if not outright...

For more on why the Supreme Court might be more receptive to Trump's assertions of presidential power, see here: www.theusconstitution.org/news/did-the...

Donald Trump insists a ‘strongman’ leader will help America. My new book explains why he’s wrong Centralising power in a president is more likely to foster personalised, corrupt governance that is democratically unaccountable.

What is Trump trying to do? And how can we stop him? Russia's post-Soviet history shows cracks in this system of strongman presidentialism - and they need to be exploited now, not in the future. theconversation.com/donald-trump...

Trump is ruling like a ‘king’, following the Putin model. How can he be stopped? Donald Trump has long admired Vladimir Putin’s ability to rule Russia like a king. As he expands presidential power, this is how a coordinated resistance could work to stop him.

What is Trump trying to do to the American Presidency and how can it be stopped? My latest, comments and thoughts welcome: theconversation.com/trump-is-rul...

Acting Commissioner could be appointed by the AG for this purpose under Section 243 of the NAAC Act. www6.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/view...

Soon to be posted on CPI's youtube page: www.youtube.com/@thecentrefo...

This rushed process was aimed at avoiding any discussions of the potentially unconstitutional burden that this law places on political communication.

YouTube video by The Ezra Klein Show Don't Believe Him | The Ezra Klein Show

Important to note that what Prez Trump says in off the cuff remarks has no binding legal force and will vanish when/if it faces strong pushback. Its the performance of power, not the exercise of power. In short: stay calm and resist. More here from Ezra Klein: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8QL...

I'm freaking out about one Trumpism coming here. An expert says we all should be Farewell 'frank and fearless' public service advice and good counsel.

I'm freaking out. Apparently that's the correct response. Thanks to Will Partlett from the University of Melbourne, Sarah Ball from UQ, Janine O'Flynn from ANU's Crawford School and Greens Senator Barbara Pocock.
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/887401...

Challenge by numerous state attorneys general against Pres Trump's executive order that attempts to cancel automatic citizenship upon birth in the United States. oag.ca.gov/system/files...

Yes, its a problem, even practically in systems like Russia where you have a (rough) separation of powers (into legislative, exec, and judicial) but no checks and balances on one office.

Come join tonight (10 pm Melbourne time; noon Central European time) for a discussion of what Russia's constitutional experience teaches us about both Russia (today and in the future) and constitutional law more broadly. www.eventbrite.be/e/icon-s-cee...

Eager for your thoughts on it @edelemark.bsky.social!

Why the Russian Constitution Matters This book challenges the common view that the Russian Constitution is a sham or a reflection of Russia's authoritarian past. It instead shows that the Russian C…

Available here if you are interested: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/why-the-r...

Its definitely not new. 'Guillotining' bills is common practice across Australian Parliaments. But the scale of this one was breathtaking. And how it was described by the PM (and often the media) as a sign of strong leadership is partic worrying

Australia politics live: Greens secure social housing upgrades and fossil fuels guarantees in deal to back Labor’s Senate guillotine; question time under way Follow live

Contempt for Parliament on show today in Canberra, with the government 'guillotining' debate on over 20 bills in the Senate, meaning they will all pass by the end of today. Disturbing sign of the growing irrelevance of Parliamentary debate in lawmaking. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

YouTube video by IACL Blog V-Conversation: "Why the Russian Constitution Matters: The Constitutional Dark Arts"

Thanks to the International Association of Constitutional Law and Lizzy Perham for interviewing me about my new book. Link here if interested why and how the Russian constitution matters to better understanding Russia, authoritarianism, and constitutional theory: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCod...