Training & Events
Commonwealth Government Insights 2026
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13 April 2026
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0 min read
Government Insights is a webinar series designed for government legal professionals ready to move beyond foundational knowledge.
Led by our senior partners, each session explores complex legal issues, strategic risk areas, and current developments shaping government legal practice today.
Our 2026 schedule
Session 1 | Commonwealth WHS Compliance: Managing Safety Risk in a Tougher Regulatory Environment
22 April 2026 | Presented by Dale McQualter, Partner and Emily Fyffe, Associate
Workplace health and safety obligations are becoming more complex in periods of significant organisational and legislative change. This insightful webinar provided practical guidance on how you can comply with your obligations under workplace health and safety laws during times of significant change.
Dale and Emily explored the implications of increased regulatory enforcement activity by Comcare, particularly having regard to the heightened focus on the need to address psychosocial hazards and the intersection with overlapping positive duty requirements.
The webinar also highlighted Comcare’s approach to proactive compliance assessment (including the implementation of the Psychosocial Inspection Program), and provided insights to help legal professionals and WHS teams navigate the evolving workplace safety landscape.
Session 2 | Review Pathways in Administrative Law
23 July 2026 | Presented by Angela Barac, Partner and Cybele Stockley, Senior Associate
Administrative law remains central to effective government decision-making, and a strong grasp of review pathways is essential for in-house legal advisers operating in complex public law environments.
In this insightful session, Angela and Cybele will examine key principles of administrative law, with a focus on merits review, judicial review, and the role of the Guidance and Appeals Panel (GAP) within the Administrative Review Tribunal. Particular attention will be given to the distinction between errors of law and errors of fact, as well as the exercise of discretion in referrals to GAP.
Designed for experienced in-house government lawyers, the session will provide practical insights and build a deeper understanding of review frameworks and their implications for lawful and effective administrative decision-making.
Session 3 | Legal Ethics in the Use of AI
Thursday, 20 August 2026 | Presented by Gavan Mackenzie, Partner
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming part of everyday legal and executive decision-making across government. But with new capability comes new professional, ethical and administrative risk.
Join Maddocks Partner, Gavan Mackenzie, to examine the guardrails needed for the safe, ethical and effective use of AI in public sector legal and policy environments.
This webinar will also explore the practical implications of using AI in government legal practice, with a focus on the transparency, accountability, confidentially and professional judgement considerations that brings. Through practical scenarios, participants will consider how AI tools can assist legal work while ensuring government lawyers remain responsible for the accuracy, integrity and defensibility of their advice.
Session 4 | When Contract and Administrative Law meet
Thursday, 1 October 2026 | Presented by Gavan Mackenzie, Partner and Patrick Collins, Special Counsel
Government lawyers are increasingly navigating matters that do not sit neatly within a single legal framework. Particularly in the context of outsourced program delivery, decisions made under procurement processes and contractual arrangements are often scrutinised through both contract law and administrative law lenses.
Join Gavan Mackenzie and Patrick Collins as they explore the circumstances in which Commonwealth agencies may find themselves managing risks and issues in respect of tenderers or contractors, whether framed as potential breaches of contract or challenges to the validity of administrative decision-making.
This webinar will examine complaints about the conduct of procurement and grant processes where statutory decision-making powers are engaged disputes arising from contracts that give effect to statutory schemes, including termination and compliance decisions how administrative law principles such as procedural fairness intersect with contractual rights and obligations practical steps to manage legal risk where both frameworks may apply simultaneously.
Designed for Commonwealth lawyers and decision makers responsible for procurement, grants and outsourced program delivery who need to manage legal risk at the intersection of contract and public law.
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