
Overview
Background
Dr Sarah Kendall is a comparative, interdisciplinary scholar with expertise in criminal law and procedure and evidence law. Her work focuses on law reform and legislative and policy development in the context of emerging and re-emerging national security threats, and domestic, family and sexual violence. Sarah uses a range of methods to conduct her research, including empirical (qualitative and quantitative) methods.
Currently, Sarah is researching the criminal law response to espionage, foreign interference and sabotage in Australia and other Five Eyes nations (the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and the United States), examining the nature, effectiveness and appropriateness of this response. She is also continuing her research into the domestic violence offence of non-fatal strangulation as well as trauma-informed approaches to the criminal law and criminal trial. Sarah's research on espionage law has been recognised by a UQ BEL Faculty award for research excellence.
In addition to her research, Sarah has taught Foundations of Law and Evidence Law at UQ. She frequently gives guest lectures on espionage and foreign interference offences.
Availability
- Dr Sarah Kendall is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Queensland University of Technology
- Bachelor of Science, The University of Queensland
- Bachelor (Honours) of Law, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy of Law, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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National security crimes
The nature, effectiveness and appropriateness of the criminal law response to national security threats, including emerging and re-emerging national security threats (such as espionage, foreign interference and sabotage).
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Preventive criminal laws
The nature and evolution of criminal laws that have a largely preventive focus, such as standalone preparatory crimes.
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Trauma-informed approaches to criminal justice
How criminal law, evidence law and the criminal justice system can become more trauma-informed, particularly for victim-survivors, witnesses and defendants.
Research impacts
Sarah is recognised nationally and internationally as an expert on Australian espionage and foreign interference offences. Her research has been featured in leading national and international peer reviewed journals, such as the Cambridge Law Journal, Sydney Law Review and Melbourne University Law Review. She also regularly writes for The Conversation about national security crimes and makes submissions to government inquiries in Australia and overseas.
In recognition of her expertise, Sarah has been invited to engage with the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor on its reviews of Commonwealth secrecy, espionage, foreign interference and sabotage offences, to contribute to edited collections and special issues, and to be interviewed for local, national and international media (including The New York Times, The Australian and The Guardian).
Sarah currently works at the Queensland Law Reform Commission (QLRC), leading the review of Queensland's non-fatal strangulation offence. Before joining the QLRC, she worked at the Department of Justice and Attorney-General Queensland in Strategic Policy and Legislation where she progressed the Criminal Justice Legislation (Sexual Violence and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2024 (Qld). She has also previously worked at the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) on a number of inquiries, including the Religious Educational Institutions and Anti-Discrimination Laws inquiry and Justice Responses to Sexual Violence inquiry. Sarah's doctoral research on the non-fatal strangulation offence and trauma-informed criminal trials has informed the work and practices of the QLRC and ALRC.
Works
Search Professor Sarah Kendall’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Other Outputs
You could break espionage laws on social media without realising it
Kendall, Sarah (2021, 01 13). You could break espionage laws on social media without realising it The Conversation
2021
Journal Article
Reconceptualising Reforms to Cross-Examination: Extending the Reliability Revolution Beyond the Forensic Sciences
Kendall, Sarah (2021). Reconceptualising Reforms to Cross-Examination: Extending the Reliability Revolution Beyond the Forensic Sciences. Canberra Law Review, 18 (1), 36-59.
2020
Other Outputs
Espionage and press freedom in Australia
Kendall, Sarah (2020). Espionage and press freedom in Australia. UQ Press Freedom Policy Papers St Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2019
Journal Article
Australia's new espionage laws: another case of hyper-legislation and over-criminalisation
Kendall, Sarah (2019). Australia's new espionage laws: another case of hyper-legislation and over-criminalisation. University of Queensland Law Journal, 38 (1), 125-161.
2018
Conference Publication
Australia's new espionage laws: a necessary evil
Kendall, Sarah (2018). Australia's new espionage laws: a necessary evil. Australian and New Zealand Law Honours Student Conference, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 24 November 2018.
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Sarah Kendall is:
- Available for supervision
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Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Sarah Kendall directly for media enquiries about:
- espionage
- foreign interference
- national security crimes
- sabotage
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