23 September 2008
Melbourne, 23 September 2008: A team from Melbourne University has won the 2008 Victorian Charter of Human Rights Mooting Competition organised by the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law and sponsored by national law firm Clayton Utz.
The winning team of Laura Bellamy, Christopher Hibbard and Michael Power went head to head with fellow Melbourne University students Dimitri Ternovski, Devon Whittle and Rebecca Hughes in the final round of the competition held in the Victorian Court of Appeal earlier this month.
A judging panel comprising his Honour Justice Maxwell, President of the Court of Appeal, his Honour Judge Tony Howard of the County Court, and Dr Helen Szoke, CEO of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, presided over the final.
For their efforts, each team received cash prizes of $3,000 and $1,000 respectively, donated by Clayton Utz.
Now in its second year, the Competition gives law students from all Victorian universities the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the Victorian Charter of Human Rights by applying it to factual scenarios in a courtroom environment.
In four rounds conducted over two weeks of intense competition, students tackled a range of issues arising under the Charter such as cultural rights and various freedoms including of religion, movement, association and expression.
The subject of the final round moot concerned a police raid of a polygamous community and the rights of individuals and families, while the semi-final dealt with an outbreak of an unknown virus and subsequent quarantine of a small town in remote Victoria.
The Deputy Director of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, Dr Paula Gerber, said she hoped the competition would continue to contribute to a greater understanding of human rights law in Victoria.
"There is anecdotal evidence that barristers are reluctant to argue the Charter in court, perhaps due to a lack of familiarity with this new legislation. This makes it even more important that we train future generations of lawyers to be competent and comfortable applying and upholding Charter rights. This mooting competition is the best way of ensuring our up-and-coming lawyers have the skills to advocate respect for, and compliance with, the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities."
Clayton Utz Melbourne managing partner Brad Vann said the firm was pleased to support the Castan Centre with such an initiative. "We look forward to continuing our association with the Castan Centre and its important work in the area of the research and teaching of human rights law."
