Examine the obligation to ensure procedural fairness as the foundation of all good decision making and the consequences where a court concludes that there has been a breach of procedural fairness by a decision maker. Take a deep dive into jurisdictional facts, the importance of jurisdictional facts for administrative decision makers, the impacts of a failure to recognise the existence of a jurisdictional fact and a closer look at objective and subjective jurisdictional facts. Be updated on recent cases in administrative decision making and the impacts that these decisions may have on future decision making.

Presenters

Bronwyn Weir, Director, Weir Legal & Consulting
Bronwyn Weir is Managing Director of Weir Legal & Consulting – Bronwyn specialises in advising governments as regulators. Her expertise spans all areas of regulatory law including advising on complaints, prosecutions, investigative powers, notices or orders, registration/licensing and administrative law. Bronwyn is frequently engaged to conduct reviews and to assist clients to develop risk based regulatory decision making frameworks, policies and procedures. In 2017 Bronwyn co-authored the Building Confidence Report with Professor Peter Shergold which remains an influential report in policy development for the building industry. She is currently advising the NSW Government on the Home Building Compensation Fund. In addition to being known for expertise in building regulation, Bronwyn advises regulators in sectors including education, health, water and climate law. Bronwyn acts for all levels of government and whilst based in Victoria, frequently advises governments across Australia.


Kylie Evans SC, Barrister, Ah Ket Chambers
Kylie Evans KC has significant litigation experience acting for non-government and government clients in administrative law matters in courts, tribunals and Commissions of Inquiry across Australia. She has acted as Counsel Assisting in inquiries and appeared for clients in royal commissions, most recently appearing for the Minister for Health, Secretary to the Department of Health, Chief Health Officer and a Deputy Secretary in the Yoorrook Justice Commission. She is a leading expert in human rights law having published three texts in the area and holds an academic position at the Melbourne Law School as a Senior Fellow. Kylie is a member of the Queensland Parliament's human rights advisory panel. She holds first class honours degrees in Law from the University of Melbourne and the University of Cambridge (Masters of Law) and a first class Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Melbourne. She was Associate to the late Honourable Justice David Hunt AO QC at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in 1999 and a Research Fellow for the late Honourable Professor James Crawford AC SC FBA (formerly a Justice of the International Court of Justice) from 2002-2005.


Lisa De Ferrari SC, Barrister, List A Barristers
Lisa De Ferrari practises in public law, commercial law and common law (major torts list, class actions and defamation). Lisa appears in the High Court, the Federal Court and the Full Federal Court, the Victorian Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court of Victoria and the Supreme Courts of other jurisdictions. She is an expert trial lawyer and has run numerous complex trials on issues primarily of public law, and has established herself as one of the top appellate barristers, particularly in public law. Finally, Lisa has a substantial practice in advising governments, as well individuals and corporations, on matters of statutory construction, judicial review, confiscation of assets, habeas and other forms of urgent relief, and merits of common law actions. In 2023, Lisa was named in Doyle's Guide as Recommended Senior Counsel, Victoria, Technology, Media & Telecommunications Law.


Georgina Rhodes, Barrister, Ah Ket Chambers
Georgina practices in public and administrative law, regulatory law, quasi-criminal and criminal law. She acts for government (State and Commonwealth) and private clients in various matters, including occupational health and safety, crimes mental impairment, disciplinary and professional standards, worker screening, disability, child protection, criminal charges, intervention orders, and inquests and inquiries. Georgina provides advice to Government Departments and Statutory Authorities in relation to statutory interpretation, legislative reform, information sharing, subpoenas and integrity matters. Georgina is currently involved in the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings, as one of the Counsel Assisting Team led by Ms Elizabeth Bennett S.C.


Michael Tsiavlis, Special Counsel, Russell Kennedy Lawyers
Michael is an experienced litigation and regulatory lawyer. Michael advises government departments, agencies and authorities on their enforcement and investigative functions as well as appearing in Court for them as a solicitor advocate. He also has specialised expertise in the rules of evidence, court and tribunal procedures and criminal law across multiple jurisdictions. Michael has worked with government and non-government clients on administrative and regulatory law matters and has advised on novel and complicated legislative regimes as well as governance and decision making strategies.


Olga Nazha, Senior Associate, Russell Kennedy
Olga is a litigation senior associate with experience in enforcement, prosecution, disciplinary and administrative review proceedings. Olga has experience advising and representing various government clients such as the Department of Health, the Department of Justice and Community Safety, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Olga has previously worked as a lawyer for the Department of Transport and Planning, and brings this experience to her role.