Luke Beck
Associate Professor, Law Resources
EmailLuke.Beck@monash.edu
Associate Professor Luke Beck is a constitutional law scholar. He previously held positions at the University of Sydney and at Western Sydney University where he was also Director (equivalent to Associate Dean) of Higher Degree Research.
Associate Professor Beck is a leading scholar in the field of separation of religion and government and religious freedom under the Australian Constitution. The principal focus of his research is on developing a deeper and more sophisticated understanding of section 116 of the Australian Constitution in terms of its history and underlying purposes, its relationship and interaction with broader Australian constitutional culture and how it might be best interpreted and applied. He has also published on various other aspects of constitutional and public law.
Associate Professor Beck's research has had important impacts outside the academy, including in case law and law reform. His research has been cited in a judgment in the High Court of Australia and relied upon in argument in other cases before courts including the High Court and the New South Wales Court of Appeal. His research has also been cited in reports of parliamentary inquiries and law reform commissions in Australia and overseas. Associate Professor Beck also appears before parliamentary inquiries to provide expert constitutional advice and his advice has led to changes to legislation.
Associate Professor Beck is also a member of the Law Society of New South Wales' Specialist Accreditation Public Law Advisory Committee.
Before entering academia, Associate Professor Beck worked in the public service, including in the office of a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, at the Office of the Protective Commissioner and at the NSW Attorney-General's Department.
Constitutional history
External positions
Member, Australian Association of Constitutional Law
Member, International Society of Public Law
Member, Law Society of New South Wales Specialist Accreditation Public Law Advisory Committee
Member, Law and Religion Scholars Network
Official Prayers in Australia
Beck, L.
Rationalist Society of Australia Inc
1 Chapter (Book)
Castan, M. & Beck, L., 2019, Mastering Law Studies and Law Exam Techniques. Krever, R. (ed.). 10th ed. Sydney NSW Australia: LexisNexis Butterworths, p. 200-214 15 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Other › peer-review
Religious Freedom and the Australian Constitution: Origins and Future
Beck, L., 2018, 1st ed. Abingdon UK: Routledge. 178 p.
The constitutional prohibition on imposing religious observances
Beck, L., Jun 2018, In : Melbourne University Law Review. 41, 2, p. 493-529 37 p.
The theological underpinnings of Australia's constitutional separation of church and state provision
Beck, L., 1 Mar 2018, In : Australian Journal of Politics and History. 64, 1, p. 1-17 17 p.
A question of characterisation: can the Commonwealth facilitate the imposition of religious observances?
Beck, L., 2017, In : Monash University Law Review. 43, 3, p. 828-844 17 p.
View all 23 research output
Further Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence and Security Review of the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Bill 2017
Luke Beck (Fellow)
Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
Submission to Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Religious Freedom Review
Submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, Review of the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Bill 2017
Appearance at Inquiry, Select Committee into the Political Influence of Donations
Appearance at Inquiry, Religious Freedom Review
View all 23 activities
Could Section 44 exclude Tony Abbott and Barnaby Joyce from parliament?
'Why Australia Does Not Need a Religious Discrimination Act'
Interview with The Wire, 'A Religious Discrimination Act – Why Have it?'
Interview with ABC Radio National, Law Report, 'Canada's Supreme Court rules on private Christian University law school'
'America's 'gay wedding cake' court decision and what it means for Australia', ABC Online
Luke Beck & Liam Elphick
View all 35 press / media