Public law

The Public Law Committee monitors all matters related to this area and represents the Law Society and its members on policy and practice issues arising from it.

Our priorities include:

  • Identifying opportunities to improve review frameworks in relation to administrative decisions (eg, greater provision of internal review, external merits review etc);
  • Matters that affect the powers and independence of investigative and oversight bodies (e.g. ICAC, LECC);
  • Counter-terrorism and national security legislation;
  • The resilience of public institutions and the role of the rule of law;
  • Monitoring the changing relationship between areas of public law and private law.

Learn more about committees
Current committee members
How to join a committee

Recent policy submissions

Letter to NSW Parliament Inquiry into artificial intelligence in New South Wales - 20 October 2023

Letter to NSW Electoral Commission - Technology assisted voting interim review report - 21 September 2023

Letter to Department of Customer Service – Improving NSW rental laws consultation paper – 18 August 2023

Letter to Law Council of Australia - Inquiry into the operation of the Commonwealth Freedom of Information laws - 22 May 2023

Letter to Law Council of Australia - Administrative Review Reform - Issues Paper - 26 April 2023

Letter to Law Council of Australia - Inquiry into the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice - 14 April 2023

Letter to Law Council of Australia - Privacy Act Review Report - 20 March 2023

Letter to Law Council of Australia - Federal Judicial Commission - 15 February 2023

Letter to NSW Electoral Commission - Technology assisted voting review - 10 February 2023

Letter to Law Council of Australia - Inquiry into the provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Amendment (Review) Bill 2022 - 27 January 2023

Letter to Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit - Inquiry into Commonwealth Grants Administration - 11 November 2022

Letter to the Inquiry into the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage (Culture is Identity) Bill 2022 - 7 October 2022

Letter to Law Council of Australia - Inquiry into National Anti-Corruption Legislation 2022 - 7 October 2022

Letter to Law Council of Australia - Inquiry into the 2022 Federal Election - 4 October 2022

Letter to Ms Bell - Inquiry into the appointment of the former Prime Minister to administer multiple departments - 29 September 2022

Letter to Committee on the Independent Commission Against Corruption - Review of aspects of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 - 19 July 2022

Letter to Law Council of Australia - Inquiry into the domestic application of the UNDRIP - 18 May 2022

Letter to Premier - Public health order fines and impact on vulnerable groups - 27 April 2022

Letter to Law Council of Australia - Automated Decision Making and AI Regulation – Issues Paper - 14 April 2022

Letter to Law Council of Australia - Social Media (Anti-Trolling) Bill 2021 – Exposure Draft Consultation - 13 January 2022

View Public Law policy submissions archive

 

2023 Committee list

Mr Andrew Chalk (Chair), Mr Graeme Johnson (Dep Chair), L. Crawford, J. Farrell, R. Heinrich, M. Keenan, A. Mojtahedi, M. O'Brien, A. Reeve, G. Rohan, H. Sims, D. Smith, K. Smith, M. Smyth, A. Tsacalos, T. Vi La, A. Zekanovic.

How to join a committee
Law Society Committees have powers, authorities and tasks delegated by the Council. Consisting of dedicated volunteers, each committee focuses on a particular area of law, pooling together specialist skills and experience in order to scrutinise legislation, court decisions and other government policies.
There are three broad categories of committees:

  • Regulatory committees – perform statutory duties under the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW)
  • Liaison committees – linked to other professions or organisations
  • Policy committees

By drawing on the insights of committees, the Law Society can meet its statutory duties and act as a major player in law reform and policy debates.

See the Law Society Committee webpage