Charles Sampford
Professor Charles Sampford is Director of the multi-university Institute for Ethics, Governance and Law headquartered at Griffith University. Charles topped politics, philosophy and law at Melbourne, combining them in his 1986 Oxford DPhil. In 1991, Griffith approached him to be their Foundation Dean of Law. He has led the only Australian Research (ARC) Centre and only ARC network in law or governance and has led governance projects on five continents. Visiting appointments have included a Senior Fellowship at St John’s College Oxford and Senior Fulbright Award to Harvard. In 2008, his work on ethics and integrity systems was recognised by the ARC as one of the 20 researchers across all disciplines who had had the greatest impact. He has completed 32 books and over 150 essays and articles. He is also a Barrister with various Board appointments.
Charles's recent articles
13 April 2023
Australia has over 800 secrecy and non-disclosure laws
Federal governments have been winding back administrative law reforms for 30 years, largely ignoring serious commitments (as signatory to Open Government Partnership (OGP) since 2015), to more open government.
4 July 2022
Unpacking court packing
When proposals are made to increase the size of the US Supreme Court and appoint new centrist judges, there is an understandable reticence of anybody to pack the courts. I think that the reticents should come straight out and say that they hate court packing.
3 December 2021
The integrity vacuum in our federal politics and how to fix it
The rejection of ethical and accountability standards that is undermining our political system has left voters cynical: here's a package of reforms that will restore trust and protect our democracy.
17 June 2020
The US does not need a wannabe Lincoln or Churchill, it needs a Leo Amery
Trump likes to see himself as a wartime president like Churchill or Lincoln. The Brits flattered the first proposity by giving him dinner in Churchills birthplace, Blenheim Palace.
30 April 2020
CHARLES SAMPFORD. Investigate both the origins of, and ALL responses to, COVID-19
The Australian government has no business hitching its star to Donald Trump or to poke the Chinese bear by promoting a one-sided investigation.
14 April 2020
CHARLES SAMPFORD. Perils of Dichotomies and Perverse Incentives: from essential jobs to hibernating c ompanies
In making and explaining major policies on the run, it is easy to slip into confusing dichotomies and create perverse incentives. Unsurprisingly, the Job Keeper program is one of them.