Chapter 2: Other influences

Over time, the Australian legal system has also been influenced by other legal systems.

International law

International law is the term used to describe the laws that have developed at an international level to regulate the relationships between countries and also to regulate the conduct of countries towards citizens and non-citizens.

These include written documents such as international treaties and conventions for example, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

For more information on the treaty making process see the Australian and International Treaty Making Kit. To learn more about the Mabo case, see Peter Butt and Robert Eagleson, Mabo: what the High Court said (1993) Federation Press; and for the High Court’s decision go to the Mabo decision on AustLII.