Gain valuable insights into procedural fairness and unreasonableness, essential issues for all government lawyers. Learn from recent cases on procedural fairness and gain an understanding of their implications. Explore unreasonableness as a ground for judicial review and materiality through essential recent cases. Gain practical advice on implementing and fixing the legal issues that arise from the errors that occur due to the decision to abolish, amalgamate or absorb government entities.

Presenters

Mick Batskos, Executive Director, FOI Solutions
Mick has over 36 years experience acting for government departments and agencies at all levels. That includes Commonwealth agencies, State government departments, statutory authorities and local councils. Mick has appeared or instructed in hundreds of proceedings in areas including freedom of information, privacy, appeals, and judicial review. Mick is the Executive Director of FOI Solutions, an accredited specialist firm in administrative law. He received a Law Institute of Victoria Certificate of Service in 2005 for demonstrated professional excellence and making a special contribution to the legal profession in the area of administrative law. He was named in the Doyles guide as a leading administrative lawyer in Victoria or Australia in 2021 - 2025.


Natalie Blok, Barrister, Ah Ket Chambers
Natalie has been a lawyer for over 15 years, and a barrister for 7. Natalie has a background in administrative and employment law, focusing more recently on planning and environment law. Natalie regularly advises and appears for government agencies (including water authorities and local councils) and private parties in planning appeals, regulatory & penalty proceedings, inquiries & inquests and merits & judicial review proceedings. Her practice involves frequent appearance work in courts and tribunals, including VCAT, the Supreme Court, the Federal Court, the Federal Circuit Court, the AAT, Boards and Panels. Before becoming a lawyer, Natalie worked in the disability sector. Natalie has an excellent understanding of government systems and administrative processes and is adept at making them easily understandable.


James Cameron, Barrister, Castan Chambers
James is a Barrister at the Victorian Bar practicing in public law, including administrative law, regulatory and disciplinary matters, and health law. Before coming to the Bar, James held a number of roles in the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Health. James was also an Associate to His Honour Judge Taft in the County Court. James is an Honorary Fellow at the Melbourne Law School, having earlier completed a PhD there.


Sophie Molyneux, Barrister, Koiki Mabo Chambers
Sophie has a broad practice, including commercial, public and quasi-criminal matters. Before coming to the Bar, Sophie was associate to the Honourable Chief Justice Marilyn Warren AC of the Supreme Court of Victoria, a litigation lawyer at Gilbert + Tobin, and a senior lawyer at the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission. Sophie has a Master of Laws from Columbia University, where she focussed on constitutional and administrative law, and a Juris Doctor, a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne. Sophie has taught Principles of Public Law in the JD program at Melbourne Law School. She is also a member of the Bar’s International Advocacy Training Committee and in 2023 represented the Bar in Solomon Islands teaching advocacy to local lawyers. Sophie read with Zoe Maud SC and her senior mentor was Peter Gray KC (now Justice Gray of the Supreme Court of Victoria).