This insightful article, "Vanderstock v Victoria: Free Trade and Federalism" by Felicity Nagorcka and Sarah Spottiswood, is a must-read for anyone interested in Australian constitutional law. Its in-depth analysis of the High Court's decision in Vanderstock v Victoria meticulously unpacks the implications for sections 90 and 92 of the Constitution, highlighting crucial divergences in the interpretation of "free trade" and their impact on the balance of power between the Commonwealth and the States.

The authors' clear and compelling arguments illuminate the complexities and potential incoherences introduced by the Vanderstock ruling, offering a valuable contribution to the ongoing discourse on Australia's federal system.

This outstanding work has been deservingly awarded the Saunders Prize for Excellence in Scholarship in Constitutional Law in 2025. The judging panel, comprising the Honourable Justice (Retd) William Gummow AC KC, Professor Michael Crommelin AO, and the Honourable Virginia Bell AC KC, were unanimous in their decision to award the prize to these two newly admitted members of the Queensland Bar, Felicity Nagorcka and Sarah Spottiswood, acknowledging their strong backgrounds in constitutional and public law.

The citation for this article is (2024) 35 Public Law Review 13. You can access it on Westlaw here.