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Dr Sangeetha Pillai

Dr Sangeetha Pillai

Casual Academic
Law & Justice
School of Global & Public Law

Dr Sangeetha Pillai is a constitutional lawyer and a Senior Research Associate at the Andrew and Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law. She is an expert on Australian citizenship law, and the constitutional differences in the scope of government power that can be exercised over citizens and non-citizens. Her work on these issues has been published in leading Australian and international journals. She has also provided media commentary on various legal issues, particularly those raised by the recent introduction of broad citizenship stripping powers in Australia. She has appeared before and been cited by parliamentary committees on matters pertaining to Australian citizenship law.

Sangeetha is the Kaldor Centre's expert on the domestic public law framework that governs refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia. Her current research examines the ongoing exploration of the boundaries of parliamentary and executive power over such persons in Australian case law.
Phone
0431248873
E-mail
sangeetha.pillai@unsw.edu.au
  • Book Chapters | 2023
    Pillai S; Hobbs H, 2023, 'Indigeneity and Membership in Australia After Love', in Politics of Citizenship and Migration, Springer Nature, pp. 157 - 177,
    Book Chapters | 2020
    Pillai S; Smith S, 2020, 'Regional Processing of Asylum Seekers, Democratic Accountability and Statutory Interpretation', in Boughey J; Crawford L (ed.), Interpreting Executive Power, Federation Press, Sydney, Australia, pp. 148 - 168,
  • Journal articles | 2022
    Jefferies R; McAdam J; Pillai S, 2022, 'Can we still call Australia home? The right to return and the legality of Australia’s COVID-19 travel restrictions', Australian Journal of Human Rights, 27, pp. 211 - 231,
    Journal articles | 2019
    Pillai S, 2019, 'Tiered Community Membership in Australia: The Impact of Constitutional Concepts and Contemporary Developments on Refugee Access to Citizenship', Australian Journal of Politics and History, 65, pp. 620 - 637,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Hobbs H; Pillai S; Williams G, 2018, 'The disqualification of dual citizens from Parliament: Three problems and a solution', Alternative Law Journal, 43, pp. 73 - 80,
    Journal articles | 2018
    P. J; Balakrishnan CP; Pillai SC, 2018, 'Quantification of physicochemical and identification of bioactive compounds from marine red alga Gracilaria corticata J. Ag.', Asian Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 4, pp. 589 - 594,
    Journal articles | 2017
    Jenifer P; Balakrishnan CP; Pillai SC, 2017, 'In-vitro Antioxidant activity of Marine Red Algae Gracilaria foliifera', Asian Journal of Pharmacy and Technology, 7, pp. 105 - 105,
    Journal articles | 2017
    Pillai S; Williams G, 2017, 'The utility of citizenship stripping laws in the UK, Canada and Australia', Melbourne University Law Review, 41, pp. 845 - 889
    Journal articles | 2017
    pillai S; williams G, 2017, 'Twenty-First Century Banishment: Citizenship Stripping In Common Law Nations', International and Comparative Law Quarterly, 66, pp. 521 - 555,
    Journal articles | 2015
    Pillai S; Williams G, 2015, 'Commonwealth power and environmental management: Constitutional questions revisited', Environmental and Planning Law Journal, 32, pp. 395 - 408
    Journal articles | 2015
    Williams G; Pillai S, 2015, 'The High Court, the Constitution and Family Law', Australian Journal of Family Law, 29, pp. 65 - 89
    Journal articles | 2014
    Pillai S, 2014, 'The Rights and Responsibilities of Australian Citizenship: A Legislative Analysis', Melbourne University Law Review, 37, pp. 736 - 785,
    Journal articles | 2014
    Pillai S, 2014, 'The rights and responsibilities of australian citizenship: A legislative analysis', Melbourne University Law Review, 37, pp. 736 - 785
    Journal articles | 2013
    Pillai S, 2013, 'Non-immigrants, non-aliens and people of the commonwealth: Australian constitutional citizenship revisited', Monash University. Law Review, 39, pp. 568 - 609,
  • Other | 2024
    Pillai S, 2024, The exclusion of aliens under federal law: Analysing the impact of NZYQ, Alexander and Benbrika, ,
    Reports | 2022
    Gleeson M; Ghezelbash D; Pillai S, 2022, Torture and cruel treatment in Australia’s refugee protection and immigration detention regimes: Submission to the UN Committee Against Torture’s sixth periodic review of Australia,
    Reports | 2022
    Gleeson M; Pillai S, 2022, Follow-up Civil Society Report on United Nations Human Rights Committee Concluding Observations 2017 – 2019: Australia, ,
    Other | 2022
    Pillai S, 2022, Judicial agreements and disagreements in Alexander v Minister for 91³ÉÈ˰涶Òô Affairs, ,
    Reports | 2021
    McAdam J; Goodwin-Gill G; Gleeson M; Higgins C; Pillai S; Hodgson N; Yacoub N, 2021, Submission on the Nationality and Borders Bill 2021,
    Reports | 2021
    Pillai S, 2021, Submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence & Security inquiry into the Migration and Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Information Provisions) Bill 2020
    Reports | 2021
    Pillai S, 2021, Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill 2021
    Reports | 2021
    Pillai S, 2021, Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs inquiry into the Migration and Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Information Provisions) Bill 2020,
    Reports | 2020
    Appleby G; Boughey J; Pillai S; Williams G, 2020, Submission to Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation inquiry into Exemption of delegated legislation from parliamentary oversight
    Conference Presentations | 2020
    Pillai S, 2020, 'Chair’s remarks, ‘Courts at the frontier: Can strategic litigation in Australia advance refugee protection?’', presented at Kaldor Centre Annual Conference, 19 November 2020
    Other | 2020
    Pillai S, 2020, Evidence to Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2020,
    Reports | 2020
    Pillai S, 2020, Senate Select Committee on COVID-19 inquiry into the Australian Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and related matters
    Reports | 2020
    Pillai S, 2020, Submission to Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2020,
    Reports | 2020
    Pillai S, 2020, Supplementary submission to Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2020
    Other | 2019
    Gleeson M; Goodwin-Gill G; Pillai S; Ogg K, 2019, Submission No 53 to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019 [Provisions],
    Other | 2019
    Gleeson M; Pillai S, 2019, A legal blackhole?,
    Reports | 2019
    Pillai S; Williams G, 2019, Submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security Review of the Australian Citizenship renunciation by conduct and cessation provisions,
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    Pillai S, 2019, 'CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES TO AUSTRALIA’S ASYLUM SEEKER LAWS: WHY IS IT SO HARD TO WIN A CASE?', presented at The Judiciary and Public Policy, UNSW Law School, 03 December 2019 - 04 December 2018
    Reports | 2019
    Pillai S, 2019, Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill 2019,
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    Pillai S; Smith S, 2018, 'The interaction of statutory and non-statutory executive power in the migration context', presented at Interpreting Eecutive Power Workshop, UNSW Australia, 14 December 2018 - 14 December 2018
    Reports | 2018
    Pillai S; Williams G, 2018, Submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security Inquiry into the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Strengthening the Citizenship Loss Provisions) Bill 2018,
    Reports | 2017
    Pillai S; Appleby G; Blayden L; Butterly L; Hoang K; Smith S, 2017, Submission to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Strengthening the Requirements for Australian Citizenship and Other Measures) Bill 2017,
    Reports | 2017
    Pillai S; Hoang K; Smith S, 2017, Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into the Australian Border Force Amendment (Protected Information) Bill 2017,
    Reports | 2017
    Pillai S; Hoang K, 2017, Submission on Department of Immigration and Border Protection discussion paper on strengthening the test for Australian citizenship,
    Reports | 2017
    Pillai S; Smith S; Hoang K, 2017, Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2017,
    Reports | 2013
    Williams G; Chordia S; Pillai S; Goddard L, 2013, Submission to Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration on ‘Inquiry into Citizen Initiated Referendum Bill 2013, Australia
  • Media | 2022
    Pillai S, 2022, Alexander v Minister for 91³ÉÈ˰涶Òô Affairs: How we got here, and what’s next?, ,
    Media | 2022
    Pillai S, 2022, Djokovic saga highlights a need for a fairer migration process, ,
    Media | 2022
    Pillai S, 2022, The minister can wield his ‘God Powers’ to cancel Djokovic’s visa, but I have another suggestion, ,
    Media | 2021
    Min AR, 2021, IS AUSTRALIA’S INDIA TRAVEL BAN LEGAL?, ,
    Media | 2021
    Oriti T, 2021, Australia's India travel ban,
    Media | 2021
    Oscar B, 2021, THE LEGALITY SURROUNDING INDIA’S TRAVEL BAN, ,
    Media | 2021
    Pillai S; Hicks L, 2021, Proportionality, rights and Australia’s COVID-19 response: Insights from the India travel ban, ,
    Media | 2021
    Pillai S, 2021, AJL20 v Commonwealth: Non-refoulement, indefinite detention and the ‘totally screwed’, ,
    Media | 2021
    Pillai S, 2021, Federal Court awards $350,000 to unlawfully detained asylum seeker, opening door to further claims, ,
    Media | 2021
    Pillai S, 2021, Is Australia’s India travel ban legal? A citizenship law expert explains, ,
    Media | 2021
    Pillai S, 2021, Post-9/11 Australia has pushed a tradition of exclusion to constitutional extremes, ,
    Media | 2021
    Pillai S, 2021, The Migration Amendment (Clarifying International Obligations for Removal) Act 2021: A case study in the importance of proper legislative process, ,
    Media | 2021
    Stearnes H, 2021, Australia's travel ban,
    Media | 2020
    Pillai S, 2020, Australia’s decision to ban its citizens from returning from India — Is it legal? Is it moral? Is it just?, ,
    Media | 2020
    Pillai S, 2020, No fair go for the forgotten ‘legacy caseload’ asylum seekers, ,
    Media | 2020
    Pillai S, 2020, The Legacy of the Asylum Seeker Phone Ban, ,