About Farhana

Farhana is a highly experienced government lawyer who advises Australian Government and State and Territory government agencies on administrative law, regulatory law and decision making, statutory interpretation, data and privacy. With over 10 years’ experience as in-house counsel, including at the Senior Executive level, Farhana has a deep understanding of the sector and is able to infuse her legal advice with a unique perspective.

Farhana is known for being able to distil complex issues in a clear and digestible away and finds pragmatic solutions for her clients.

Farhana was recently recognised in the 2022 Best Lawyers, ‘Ones to Watch’ category for corporate and governance practice.

Experience

• Department of Education and Training

  Assisting to develop a robust approval process for course providers to be approved under the new VET Student Loans Scheme; prepared a provider information manual for the new Scheme, including the strengthened compliance framework; advising on whether VET providers breached civil penalty provisions in relation to the former VET FEE-HELP scheme and prepared investigation plan.

• Department of Health

  Advising on the interaction of the Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisioners) Act 2014 and the Tobacco Plain packaging Act 2011, including preparation of easy to use checklists for persons exercising regulatory powers.

• Department of Social Services

  Undertaking a review of the Community Grants Hub’s grants administration services for Client Agencies to provide assurance that the Department is meeting its obligations under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013, including preparing template instruments of delegations and preparing checklists to be used by Hub officers.

• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

  Undertaking a governance and probity review in relation to conflicts of interest of Board members and providing recommendations on identifying, disclosing and managing conflicts of interests; drafting a new Board Charter and Conflicts of Interest Policy.

• Department of Social Services

  Preparing privacy impact assessment for the National Centre for Longitudinal Data surveys: Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA), Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), Footprints in Time: The Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC) and Building a New Life in Australia: The Longitudinal Study Humanitarian Migrants (BNLA).