As technology, policy and governance evolve, so too must administrative decision-making. Explore the future and challenges of public decision-making in Australia. Focus on AI and Automated Decision-Making, examining how to design your decision-making systems consistent with transparency, procedural fairness, and meaningful review. Gain a practical guide to avoiding common errors in administrative decisions, helping decision-makers build confidence and compliance in statutory contexts. Unpack judicial review of non-statutory executive action, clarifying when and how exercises of pure executive power are justiciable. Together, these sessions offer a comprehensive update for government lawyers, regulators, and practitioners engaged in administrative law.
Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Early Bird Discount ends 19 Dec 2025
Professional Skills
2.00pm to 3.00pm Administrative Law and Use of AI and Automated Decision‑Making (ADM)
ADM is reshaping governance—but public law must keep pace.
- Designing ADM systems aligned with transparency, procedural fairness and human oversight
- Ensuring affected individuals are notified
- Embedding meaningful review pathways
Presented by Amy Kelly, Special Counsel, Maddocks
4.00pm to 4.15pm Afternoon Tea
4.15pm to 5.15pm Judicial Review of Non-Statutory Executive Action
- The circumstances where exercises of pure executive power will be justiciable
- The differences between judicial review of:
- statutory discretions
- exercises of pure executive power
- The different kinds of executive power, and the grounds on which exercises of pure executive power may be reviewed
Presented by Jamie Blaker, Barrister, Ah Ket Chambers
Description
Attend and earn 3 CPD units including:
1 unit in Substantive Law
2 units in Professional Skills
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
Professional Skills
3.00pm to 4.00pm Administrative Decision-Making – How to Avoid Common Errors
All sorts of government bodies make ‘administrative’ decisions, or decisions in a statutory context. Decision-makers need to be aware of such a statutory context before they make these kinds of decisions. Common errors in administrative decision-making tend to come from an overreliance on policy or practice, a lack of understanding of the nature of authority, and even a fear of the legislation itself. By learning to re-focus, decision-makers can gain confidence and improve the quality and lawfulness of their decision-making.
Presented by Fiona McKenzie, Barrister, Foley’s List
Presenters
Jamie Blaker, Barrister, Ah Ket ChambersBefore coming to the Bar, Jamie was Associate to the Hon Justice Gleeson at the High Court of Australia. As a solicitor, he was a constitutional litigator (within the Australian Government Solicitor), acting mainly in High Court proceedings. Jamie holds a Master of Laws (1st) from the University of Cambridge, and lectures in the postgraduate program at Monash University (teaching equity, constitutional law, and administrative law). He has published widely, including in the Sydney Law Review, the Public Law Review and the Federal Law Review.
Fiona McKenzie, Barrister, Foley’s List
Fiona McKenzie, a member of the Victorian bar, has been practising in administrative law and training government decision-makers for most of her career. Her text “Administrative Power and the Law” contains practical advice on administrative decision-making. She has seen too many decisions containing common errors and is keen to help to remedy this.
Amy Kelly, Special Counsel, Maddocks
Amy completed her articles of clerkship with Maddocks in 2006 and has recently returned to Maddocks following a period spent in house, most recently in the role of General Counsel at the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA). In her time at ESTA, Amy was responsible for providing legal advice in respect of a range of issues, including general contract and commercial advice, complaints and FOI, privacy and records management, governance, policy and government engagement, and litigation. Amy was also responsible for the Board Secretary function and in the management of matters relating to Office of the Chief Executive. In that capacity, Amy has extensive experience working with internal and external stakeholders including senior executives and Board members and understands the importance of providing clear, frank and fearless advice to her clients. During her time at Maddocks, Amy has worked with a variety of clients including local government, state government departments, statutory bodies, individuals, private business and large corporate entities.
