Damages and Human Rights—a discussion

Dr Jason Varuhas, University of Melbourne and University of Cambridge

Dr Varuhas’s recently published book, Damages and Human Rights, is a major work on awards of damages for violations of human rights. The subject, lying at the intersection of public law, private law and international law, is one that has posed ongoing challenges for the highest courts in common law jurisdictions. Dr Varuhas analyses the existing law and explores the theoretical foundations of such awards, arguing for a move away from ‘public law’ approaches characterised by open-ended discretion and a paucity of principle, in favour of an approach based in axiomatic damages principles developed in the law of torts.

In this event, a panel of commentators—Justice Matthew Palmer, High Court of New Zealand, Professor Claudia Geiringer, Victoria University of Wellington and Chris Curran, Partner, Russell McVeagh—will discuss the book and Dr Varuhas will respond.

Dr Varuhas is Associate Professor in Law, University of Melbourne, and Associate Fellow, Centre for Public Law, University of Cambridge. He has published on public law and private law in leading international journals, has recently published two books, including Damages and Human Rights, and has two books forthcoming, including his co-authored textbook on administrative law. He is a founder and co-convenor of the Cambridge Public Law Conference. Dr Varuhas is a Victoria alumnus and a winner of the Cleary Memorial Prize.

RSVP: Register by 30 May 2016 at nzcpl-varuhas.eventbrite.co.nz