Energy Regulation and the Law

Subject LAWS70141 (2011)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2011.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 7 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

March, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: The total class time is between 24 and 26 hours.
Total Time Commitment: Not available
Prerequisites: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Corequisites: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Recommended Background Knowledge: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Non Allowed Subjects: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Core Participation Requirements: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.

Contact

For more information, contact the Melbourne Law Masters office.

Email law-masters@unimelb.edu.au or phone +61 3 8344 6190.

Alternatively, visit our website:

www.masters.law.unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

Principal topics will include:

  • What is regulation?
  • What is the relationship between regulation and law?
  • General explanations and justifications for regulation
  • Regulatory issues posed by the supply of different types of energy:
    - Mineral energies: Coal, petroleum, uranium
    - Network energies: Electricity, gas
    - Common problems
  • Regulatory responses: Laissez-faire, public ownership and operation, licensing, price and export controls, operational controls, subsidies
  • The Australian regulatory environment: Federal structure, geography and markets, impacts of international regulation, competition policy, independent regulatory authorities
  • Two or more case studies:
    - Electricity (or gas): From public monopolies to regulated markets
    - Oil and gas: Public ownership, private operation
    - Coal and uranium: Trade and security issues
    - Renewable energies: Costs and subsidies
  • Evaluating energy regulation: Legitimacy, legality, accountability, fairness, efficiency, effectiveness.
Objectives:

A student who has successfully completed this subject should:

  • Understand the phenomenon of regulation as an activity of government and its relationship with law
  • Understand the issues raised by different types of energy sources that may call for regulatory solutions
  • Have a sound knowledge of the Australian regulatory regimes for the types of energy covered in the subject
  • Be able to offer a critical appraisal of those regimes by reference to regulatory theory and comparative practice.
Assessment: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Prescribed Texts: Core subject materials will be provided free of charge to all students. Some subjects require further texts to be purchased. Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date

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