The phrase 'Australian exceptionalism' is most often used these days in relation to Australia's stand with the United States in the war against terror and the Australian government's attitude to international human rights law. Australia is exceptional also in being now the only English-speaking democracy without a judicially enforceable bill of rights at the federal level. Although not unrelated, here I want to explore whether the part of Australian public law that deals with judicial review of administrative action is also 'exceptional'. I will identify the features that are commonly said to set Australia apart from other common law jurisdictions and justify Australia taking a different path in the elaboration of the principles of judicial review of administrative action.