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Professor Graeme Orr
Professor

Graeme Orr

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 53014

Overview

Background

The law of politics, in particular electoral law, is Professor Graeme Orr's primary research expertise. He has authored The Law of Politics (1st edn 2010, 2nd edn 2019) and Ritual and Rhythm in Electoral Systems (2015), co-authored The Law of Deliberative Democracy (2016), co-edited Realising Democracy (2003), Electoral Democracy: Australian Prospects (2011) and The Cambridge Handbook of Deliberative Constitutionalism (2018) and edited 3 symposia on the law of politics. His doctoral thesis explored the nature and regulation of electoral bribery. In the field of the law of politics, he does consultancy and pro bono work, and regular media commentary. Graeme has published over 100 commentary pieces in both the traditional press and online outlets.

Graeme has also published extensively in labour law, the law of negligence and on issues of language and law. Currently he is the legal adviser on the NSW Electoral Commission’s iVote panel and was recently part of the Australian Republican Movement’s Constitutional Advisory Board that drafted a model for an elected Head of State.

An Associate to two judges in the Federal Court of Australia and solicitor of the Queensland Supreme Court, prior to joining UQ Graeme was also an Associate Professor at Griffith University, where he taught for 13 years. In recent times he has been international editor of the Election Law Journal and board member of the Australian Journal of Labour Law. He was formerly managing editor of the Griffith Law Review, columnist with the Alternative Law Journal on sport's links to law, and employment law columnist with the Australian Journal of Administrative Law. He currently authors the entry on Australia for The Annual Register, a 257 year old almanac of world affairs.

He was a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law (2014-24) and has been an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences since 2020.

Availability

Professor Graeme Orr is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts, The University of Queensland
  • Bachelor of Law, The University of Queensland
  • Masters (Coursework) of Law, University College London
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Education, Griffith University
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Griffith University

Research interests

  • Law of politics: parliamentary law and electoral law

  • Non-instrumental approaches to Law and Politics (ritual, symbols, language)

  • Labour and employment law

Works

Search Professor Graeme Orr’s works on UQ eSpace

231 works between 1995 and 2025

201 - 220 of 231 works

2003

Journal Article

Australian Electoral Law: A Stocktake

Orr, Graeme, Mercurio, Bryan and Williams, George (2003). Australian Electoral Law: A Stocktake. Election Law Journal, 2 (3), 383-402. doi: 10.1089/153312903322146618

Australian Electoral Law: A Stocktake

2003

Journal Article

Voluntarism. Ambition or service?: Peter Costello on civil society

Orr, Graeme (2003). Voluntarism. Ambition or service?: Peter Costello on civil society. Alternative Law Journal, 28 (4), 197-198.

Voluntarism. Ambition or service?: Peter Costello on civil society

2003

Journal Article

Precarious liability: The High Court in Lepore, Samin and Rich on school responsibility for assaults by teachers (Case notes)

White, Steven and Orr, Graeme (2003). Precarious liability: The High Court in Lepore, Samin and Rich on school responsibility for assaults by teachers (Case notes). Torts Law Journal, 11 (2), 101-116.

Precarious liability: The High Court in Lepore, Samin and Rich on school responsibility for assaults by teachers (Case notes)

2003

Journal Article

Ghosts of the Civil Dead: Prisoner Disenfranchisement

Graeme Orr (2003). Ghosts of the Civil Dead: Prisoner Disenfranchisement. Democratic Audit of Australia

Ghosts of the Civil Dead: Prisoner Disenfranchisement

2003

Journal Article

The Currency of Democracy: Campaign Finance Law in Australia

Orr, Graeme (2003). The Currency of Democracy: Campaign Finance Law in Australia. University of New South Wales Law Journal, 26 (1), 1-31.

The Currency of Democracy: Campaign Finance Law in Australia

2003

Book Chapter

Dealing in Votes: Regulating Electoral Bribery

Orr, Graeme (2003). Dealing in Votes: Regulating Electoral Bribery. Realising Democracy: Electoral law in Australia. (pp. 130-142) edited by Graeme Orr, Bryan Mercurio and George Williams. Annandale, NSW Australia: Federation Press.

Dealing in Votes: Regulating Electoral Bribery

2003

Book

Realising Democracy: Electoral Law in Australia

Graeme Orr, Bryan Mercurio and George Williams eds. (2003). Realising Democracy: Electoral Law in Australia. Annandale, Australia: Federation Press.

Realising Democracy: Electoral Law in Australia

2003

Book Chapter

The Australian Electoral Tradition (Introduction)

Orr, Graeme, Mercurio, Bryan and Williams, George (2003). The Australian Electoral Tradition (Introduction). Realising Democracy: Electoral law in Australia. (pp. 1-6) edited by G. Orr, B. Mercurio and G. Williams. Annandale, NSW, Australia: Federation Press.

The Australian Electoral Tradition (Introduction)

2002

Journal Article

Cricket and the Common Law of Tort

Orr, Graeme (2002). Cricket and the Common Law of Tort. Baggy Green: Journal of Australian Cricket, 4 (2), 37-43.

Cricket and the Common Law of Tort

2002

Journal Article

Ballot Order: Donkey Voting in Australia

Orr, Graeme (2002). Ballot Order: Donkey Voting in Australia. Election Law Journal, 1 (4), 573-578. doi: 10.1089/153312902760403914

Ballot Order: Donkey Voting in Australia

2002

Journal Article

A Politician's Word: the Legal (Un)enforceability of Political Deals

Orr, Graeme (2002). A Politician's Word: the Legal (Un)enforceability of Political Deals. Constitutional Law and Policy Review, 5 (1), 1-11.

A Politician's Word: the Legal (Un)enforceability of Political Deals

2001

Journal Article

Agency Shops in Australia? Compulsory Bargaining Fees, Union (In)security and the Rights of Free-Riders

Graeme Orr (2001). Agency Shops in Australia? Compulsory Bargaining Fees, Union (In)security and the Rights of Free-Riders. Australian Journal of Labour Law, 14 (1), 1-35.

Agency Shops in Australia? Compulsory Bargaining Fees, Union (In)security and the Rights of Free-Riders

2001

Journal Article

Electoral Challenges: Judicial Review of Parliamentary Election in Australia

Orr, Graeme and Williams, George (2001). Electoral Challenges: Judicial Review of Parliamentary Election in Australia. Sydney Law Review, 23 (1), 53-94.

Electoral Challenges: Judicial Review of Parliamentary Election in Australia

2001

Journal Article

Overseeing the gatekeepers: should the preselection of political candidates be regulated?

Orr, Graeme (2001). Overseeing the gatekeepers: should the preselection of political candidates be regulated?. Public Law Review, 12 (2), 89-94.

Overseeing the gatekeepers: should the preselection of political candidates be regulated?

2001

Journal Article

From Slogans to Puns: Australian Legislative Titling Revisited

Graeme Orr (2001). From Slogans to Puns: Australian Legislative Titling Revisited. Statute Law Review, 22, 160-161.

From Slogans to Puns: Australian Legislative Titling Revisited

2001

Journal Article

Preferenda: the Constitutionality of Multiple Option Referenda

Orr, Graeme (2001). Preferenda: the Constitutionality of Multiple Option Referenda. Constitutional Law and Policy Review, 3 (4), 68-72.

Preferenda: the Constitutionality of Multiple Option Referenda

2000

Journal Article

The conduct of referenda and plebiscites in Australia: a legal perspective

Orr, Graeme (2000). The conduct of referenda and plebiscites in Australia: a legal perspective. Public Law Review, 11, 117-132.

The conduct of referenda and plebiscites in Australia: a legal perspective

2000

Journal Article

The Law Comes to the Party: the Continuing Juridification of Australian Political Parties

Orr, Graeme (2000). The Law Comes to the Party: the Continuing Juridification of Australian Political Parties. Constitutional Law and Policy Review, 3, 41-49.

The Law Comes to the Party: the Continuing Juridification of Australian Political Parties

2000

Journal Article

Name without frontiers: legislative titles and sloganeering

Orr, Graeme (2000). Name without frontiers: legislative titles and sloganeering. Statute Law Review, 21, 188-212.

Name without frontiers: legislative titles and sloganeering

1999

Book Chapter

Local Government: Council Elections and Polls

Graeme Orr (1999). Local Government: Council Elections and Polls. Halsbury's Laws of Australia (vol17). (pp. 1-1) Australia: Butterworths.

Local Government: Council Elections and Polls

Funding

Past funding

  • 2017
    Comprehensive free access to Australian industrial and workplace law (ARC LIEF project administered by University of Technology Sydney)
    University of Technology Sydney
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    The Law of Deliberative Democracy: Theory and Reform
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2012
    Dollars and Democracy: The dynamics of Australian political finance and its regulation (ARC Discovery Project Administered by The University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Professor Graeme Orr is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    A National Indigenous Representative Body in Australia: Reception and Rejection of an Enduring Institutional Concept

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Rebecca Ananian-Welsh, Dr Dylan Lino

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Proposed PhD - Disability within the judiciary: An analysis of the barriers for lawyers with visual disabilities to be appointed to the judicial branch of government in New Zealand and Australia.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Paul Harpur

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Professor Graeme Orr directly for media enquiries about:

  • constitutional law
  • Employment and labour law
  • Language and law
  • Law of elections
  • Law of politics
  • Political Parties and Finance

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au