Assoc Prof Pamela O'Connor - Researcher Profile

Pamela O'Connor

Address

Faculty of Law
PO Box 12, Clayton

Contact Details

Email: Pam.Oconnor@monash.edu


Biography

Pam O'Connor graduated from Monash and practised law for 10 years in community and government legal aid centres, mainly in administrative appeals, family, criminal, tenancy and civil law. She joined the Law Faculty at Monash in 1991, and has served in educational leadership roles.  She is currently working on funded research grants relating to regulation of carbon in all its forms, property rights, and regulation of urban water resources, and on a research contract on Tribunal Independence. In 2012 her teaching commitments are Property and Administrative Law. 

*completed Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws at Monash University 

*employed for ten years in a community legal centre and in government legal aid agencies, as a legal practitioner and as a manager.

*For 5 years from 1988, part-time legal member of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal

* while completing MBA course, commenced working for Monash Law, starting as a tutor/Assistant Lecturer and rising through promotion to Associate Professor.

*During employment with Monash, completed an LLM by research (1995) and  PhD thesis 'Security of Property Rights and Land Registration Systems' (2004) 

* served on the Faculty's senior management team including 3 years as an Associate Dean, and 18 months as Director of Teaching

*Chief Investigator in three research projects funded by the Australian Research Council, and project leader in a Commonwealth-funded Collaborative Research Centre

* Commissioner in Charge for Victorian Law Reform Commission's two references in Property Law, resulting in two VLRC Reports in 2010.

* 5 years as a member of the Board of the Judicial College of Victoria and 3 years on the Board of the Leo Cussen Centre for Law

 

 

 

Research & Supervision Interests

    Property law, land title registration systems, property rights, legal theory, regulation of water and natural resources, administrative law, tribunals

Keywords

Land management, Property law,, land title registration law torrens system conveyancing real property law harmonisation of l

Qualifications

PHD
Institution: Monash University
Year awarded: 2004
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Institution: Monash University
Year awarded: 2001
LLM
Institution: University of Melbourne
Year awarded: 1996
MBA
Institution: Monash University
Year awarded: 1990
LLB
Institution: Monash University
Year awarded: 1977
BA
Institution: Monash University
Year awarded: 1975

Publications

Books

Edgeworth, E., Rossiter, C.J., Stone, M.A., O'Connor, P.A., 2008, Sackville & Neave, Australian Property Law, Lexis Nexis Butterworths, Chatswood NSW.

Campbell, S.L., Powles, G., Evans, A.H., Smith, S., Hyams, R., Dickson, J., O'Connor, P.A., Sexton, D. (eds), 1999, Lawyers Practice Manaul (Vic), LBC Information Services, Sydney NSW Australia.

Campbell, S.L., Powles, G., Evans, A.H., Smith, S., Hyams, R., Dickson, J., O'Connor, P.A. (eds), 1998, Lawyers Practice Manual Victoria, LBC Information Services, Sydney NSW Australia.

Book Chapters

O'Connor, P., 2011, Regulating by covenant: is it sustainable?, in Property and Sustainability: Selected Essays, eds Penny Carruthers, Sharon Mascher and Natalie Skead, Thomson Reuters, Pyrmont NSW Australia, pp. 127-143.

O'Connor, P., 2010, The top 10 legal questions for registered title systems, in Property and Security: Selected Essays, eds Lyria Bennett Moses, Brendan Edgeworth, Cathy Sherry, Thomson Reuters, Pyrmont, NSW, Australia, pp. 199-215.

O'Connor, P.A., 2009, The extension of land registration principles to new property rights in environmental goods, in Modern Studies in Property Law Vol 5, eds Martin Dixon, Hart Publishers, Oxford UK and Portland Oregon, pp. 363-385.

O'Connor, P.A., 2007, An Adjudication Rule for Encroachment Disputes: Adverse Possession or a Building Encroachment Statute?, in Modern Studies in Property Law Vol 4, eds Elizabeth Cooke, Hart Publishers, Oxford UK and Portland, Oregon, pp. 197-217.

O'Connor, P.A., 2005, Registration of invalid dispositions: who gets the property?, in Modern Studies in Property Law Vol III, eds Elizabeth Cooke, Hart Publishers, Oxford, England, pp. 45-64.

O'Connor, P.A., 2003, Information, automation and the conclusive land register, in Torrens in the Twenty-first Century, eds David Grinlinton, LexisNexis, New Zealand, pp. 249-275.

O'Connor, P.A., 2003, Registration of title in England and Australia: a theoretical and comparative analysis, in Modern Studies in Property Law, eds Elizabeth Cooke, Hart Publishing, Portland USA, pp. 81-99.

Journal Articles

Christensen, S., O'Connor, P.A., Duncan, W.D., Phillips, A., 2012, Regulation of land access for resource development: a coal seam gas case study from Queensland, Australian Property Law Journal [P], vol 21, issue 2, LexisNexis Butterworths, Sydney NSW Australia, pp. 110-146.

O'Connor, P., 2011, Careful what you wish for: positive freehold covenants, Conveyancer and Property Lawyer [P], vol 2011, issue 3, Sweet & Maxwell Ltd, London UK, pp. 191-207.

O'Connor, P.A., 2011, Covenants as regulation, Property Law Review [P], vol 1, issue 3, Thomson Reuters, Pyrmont NSW Australia, pp. 145-159.

Christensen, S., Durrant, N., O'Connor, P., Phillips, A., 2011, Regulating greenhouse gas emissions from coal mining activities in the context of climate change, Environmental and Planning Law Journal [P], vol 28, issue 6, Thomson Reuters, Sydney NSW Australia, pp. 381-415.

O'Connor, P., 2011, The changing paradigm of property and the framing of regulation as a 'taking', Monash University Law Review [P], vol 36, issue 2, Monash University, Clayton Vic Australia, pp. 50-79.

O'Connor, P.A., Christensen, S., Duncan, W.D., 2010, Legislating for sustainability: a framework for managing statutory rights, obligations and restrictions affecting private land, Monash University Law Review [P], vol 35, issue 2, Monash University, Faculty of Law, Clayton, Vic, Australia, pp. 233-261.

O'Connor, P.A., 2009, Deferred and Immediate Indefeasibility: Bijural Ambiguity in Registered Land Systems, Edinburgh Law Review: an international forum for the discussion of law [P], vol 13, issue 2, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh UK, pp. 194-223.

Christensen, S., O'Connor, P.A., Duncan, W.D., Ashcroft, R., 2009, Early Land Grants and Reservations: Any Lessons from the Queensland Experience for the Sustainability Challenge to Land Ownership?, James Cook University Law Review [P], vol 15, issue 2008, School of Law, James Cook University, Townsville Queensland, pp. 42-66.

O'Connor, P.A., 2009, Immediate Indefeasibility for Mortgagees: A Moral Hazard?, Bond Law Review [P], vol 21, issue 2, Bond University Faculty of Law, Gold Coast, Queensland, pp. 133-158.

O'Connor, P.A., 2006, The private taking of land: adverse possession, encroachment by buildings and improvements under a mistake, The University of Western Australia Law Review, vol 33, issue 1, University of Western Australia, Law School, Crawley WA Australia, pp. 31-62.

Cooke, E., O'Connor, P.A., 2004, Purchaser liability to third parties in the English land registration system: a comparative perspective, The Law Quarterly Review, vol 120, Sweet and Maxwell, London England, pp. 640-666.

O'Connor, P.A., 2003, Double indemnity - title insurance and the Torrens System, Queensland University of Technology Law and Justice Journal, vol 3, issue 1, QUT Publications, Kelvin Grove Qld Australia, pp. 141-167.

O'Connor, P.A., 2003, Reparation for Australia's removed aboriginal children: defining the wrong, Third World Legal Studies, vol 2000-2003, International Third World Legal Studies Association, USA, pp. 219-237.

O'Connor, P.A., 2003, Title insurance is there a catch?, Australian Property Law Journal, vol 10, issue 2, LexisNexis, Chatswood NSW Australia, pp. 120-139.

O'Connor, P.A., Gaze, B.J., 2002, Training for better decisions: designing a computer-mediated distance education subject for tribunal members, Legal Education Review, vol 13, issue 1, Legal Education Review, Australia, pp. 21-44.

O'Connor, P.A., 2000, Squaring the circle: how Canada is dealing with the legacy of its Indian residential schools experiment, Australian Journal of Human Rights, vol 6 issue 1, Prospect Media Pty Ltd, St Leonards NSW Australia, pp. 188-215.

O'Connor, P.A., 1998, Indigenous Policy, Native Title and the Rule of Law, Agenda, vol 5 issue 4, Australian National University, Canberra ACT Australia, pp. 501-508.

O'Connor, P.A., 1998, Knowing When to say "Yes Minister": Ministerial Control of Discretions Vested in Officials, Australian Journal of Administrative Law, vol 5 issue 3, LBC Information Services, Sydney NSW Australia, pp. 168-182.

O'Connor, P.A., 1997, Decisions Made in the Absence of Formal Delegation of Power, Local Government Law Journal, vol 2, LBC Information Services, Sydney NSW Australia, pp. 225-234.

Neave, M.A., Hughson, M., O'Connor, P.A., 1997, Reflections on the Mirror of Title: Resolving the Conflict between Purchasers and Prior Interest Holders, Melbourne University Law Review, vol 21, Melbourne University Law Review, Melbourne Vic Australia, pp. 460-496.

O'Connor, P.A., 1997, The Wik Decision: Judicial Activism or Conventional Ruling?, Agenda, vol 4, Australian National University, Canberra ACT Australia, pp. 217-223.

Other

O'Connor, P.A., 2007, Administrative Review Council Best Practice Guides 1-5; Decision Making: Lawfulness; Decision Making: Natural Justice; Decision Making: Evidence, Facts and Findings; Decision Making: Reasons; Decision Making: Accountability, Five guides providing information about administrative law as applied to administrative decision making in Commonwealth agencies, Administrative Review Council (Commonwealth of Australia), Barton ACT.

O'Connor, P.A., 2006, Electronic Conveyancing: who benefits?, Monash Centre for Regulatory Studies, Monash University, on website.

O'Connor, P.A., 2006, Legal Process (Introduction to Legal Reasoning), Chapter in R Krever (ed) Mastering Law Studies and Law Exam Techniques, LexisNexis Butterworths, Chatswood NSW Australia.

O'Connor, P.A., Freckelton, I.R., Sallmann, P., 2006, Practice manual for tribunals, Council of Australasian Tribunals, Canberra ACT Australia, pp. i-I-9.

O'Connor, P.A., 1999, Canadian and Australian responses to past policies of forced separation of indigenous children from their families, The Law Program, 3 RPH, Melbourne Vic Australia.

O'Connor, P.A., Neave, M.A., Hughson, M., 1999, Peeping Through the Curtain: The Purchaser's Duty to Inquire, Real Property Teachers' Conference 1999, Glenelg SA.

O'Connor, P.A., 1999, Role of the Workcover Conciliator, Professional Development Workshop, Melbourne Vic Australia.

O'Connor, P.A., 1998, Natural Justice, Paper presented to members of Intellectual Disability Review Panel, Intellectual Disability Review Panel, Melbourne Vic Australia.

O'Connor, P.A., 1998, Tribunal Members - Conduct at Hearing, Ethics and Conflicts of Interest, Paper presented at Australian Institute of Administrative Law, Procedural Fairness Update Seminar, Australian Institute of Administrative Law, Melbourne Vic Australia.

O'Connor, P.A., 1998, Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) and Natural Justice, Paper presented at Residential Tenancies and Small Claims Tribunals Conference, Residential Tenancies & Small Claims Trib. Conf., Melbourne Vic Australia.

Teaching Commitment

LAW7267 Principles of Property Law;

LAW7267 Advanced Property Law;

LAW3401 Property A,

LAW3402 Property B,

LAW3101 Administrative Law,

LAW7274 Principles of Administrative Law

Community Service

Cu

  • Current: Member of the Board of the Leo Cussen Centre for Law
  • Past: Board member, Victorian Womens Trust, volunteer with Tenants Union and Fitzroy Legal Service, contributor to Lawyers Practice Manual


 

Consulting

2012 Sole researcher in consultancy contract with the Council of Australasian Tribunals Inc for Tribunal Independence Project

2009 Sole researcher in research consultancy with Victorian Law Reform Commission for a scoping paper on reform of property laws.

2007 Sole researcher in research consultancy with Council of Australasian Tribunals (NSW Chapter) for a conference paper 'Measuring the Quality of Administrative Justice'

 

Grants

Title:
A3.2: Better Regulatory Frameworks for Water Sensitive Cities.
Investigators:
Hodge, G, Frieberg, A, O'Connor, P, Harris, E, Lane, R, Randall, M
Funding:
(2013 - 2017). Cooperative Research Centres (CRC).
Title:
Development of the COAT Practice Manual for Tribunals.
Investigators:
McSherry, B, O'Connor, P, Potter, B, Freckelton, I, Sallmann, P
Funding:
(2005 - 2009). Council of Australasian Tribunals.
Title:
National Uniformity in Real Property Law: a Comparative Study with Proposals for Implementation.
Investigators:
Maccallum, S, Neave, M, O'Connor, P
Funding:
(1997 - ). Australian Research Council (ARC).
Title:
Publication on making lawful decisions.
Investigators:
O'Connor, P
Funding:
(2006 - 2010). Administrative Review Council.
(2008 - 2012). Administrative Review Council.
Title:
An Institutional Framework to Facilitate Sustainable and Integrated Natural and cultural Resources Governance.
Investigators:
O'Connor, P, Christensen, S, Fisher, D, Duncan, W
Funding:
(2007 - 2011). Australian Research Council (ARC).
Title:
An integrated legal regime for a sustainable carbon cycle.
Investigators:
O'Connor, P, Christensen, S, Fisher, D, Duncan, W, Durrant, N
Funding:
(2010 - 2014). Australian Research Council (ARC).