In the field of competition and consumer law, I assist clients in a broad range of matters, including Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) investigations and proceedings, copy clearance, unfair terms reviews and compliance training.

Clients appreciate my ability to deliver complex advice in a simple and coherent manner reflecting commercial goals and objectives.

Career highlights

• The Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia (HCF) – regulatory adviser on private health insurance law including approval of new health covers, drafting funding contracts between HCF and large hospital groups, agreements with brokers and comparator websites and fund rules, and undertaking legal review of all forms of marketing collateral including TV commercials and radio
• nib – regulatory adviser on private health insurance law, negotiating and drafting white label agreements between nib and Suncorp and Qantas, and drafting agreements for nib's international business (overseas student and workers cover)
• Private Healthcare Australia – regulatory input into law reform work on private health insurance law; advice on exposure draft legislation; competition law advice and drafting commercial contracts
• Victorian Department of Health and Human Services – providing advice on statutory interpretation under various regulatory regimes; legislative changes required for the implementation of government projects; providing advice on government tenders, probity requirements and drafting government procurement contracts
• Alphapharm – drafting licensing and development agreements for pharmaceuticals; providing regulatory advice on the Therapeutic Goods Act and regulatory review of promotional material for prescription and over-the-counter drugs
• Pental (White King products) – led Federal Court litigation against the ACCC on penalty in relation to White King wipes where the Federal Court handed down less than half of the penalty sought by the ACCC
• Tooltechnic Systems Australia – acted in obtaining the ACCC’s first-ever authorisation for resale price maintenance in relation to the price of Festool power tools and the first-ever notification to the ACCC for resale price maintenance
• Franchising sector – advised on competition and consumer law issues arising in the franchising context for GM Holden, Toyota, Beaurepaires and Toyworld 
• Justice Connect Homeless Law – led the Homeless Law clinic run by the Melbourne office for over 10 years and currently a supervisor of Homeless Law clinic lawyers
• Mayne Pharma Group Limited; Medibank; AGL; Heinz – completed numerous secondments

Education
BEC (HONS) (MONASH UNIVERSITY, 1999); LLB (HONS) (MONASH UNIVERSITY, 2001)

• Recent ACCC enforcement action over consumer guarantee representations
  

  Here, we provide a snapshot of the ACCC's recent enforcement activity in relation to consumer guarantees and highlight common risk areas for suppliers and manufacturers.

• APRA's new operational risk standard finalised
  

  The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has released its long-awaited new cross industry prudential standard - CPS 230 Operational Risk Management (CPS 230) – to 'strengthen the management of operational risk across APRA’s regulated population'.  APRA has also opened consultation on draft guidance to support implementation.  Here's what you need to know.

• Telehealth services shaping healthcare delivery beyond COVID-19
  

  During the COVID-19 pandemic, the health sector in particular has seen greater innovation in how technology can be used to deliver healthcare to accommodate for social distancing. The provision of telehealth services may have public health benefits beyond the pandemic and shift the future delivery of healthcare.

• $2.9m fine for misleading conduct relating to disclosure of personal information
  

  Where misuse of personal information amounts to mising deceptive conduct under the Australian Consumer Law, the ACCC has shown that it will take action.

• Tooltechnic is successful in lodging the first ever resale price maintenance (RPM) notification
  

  MinterEllison has advised Tooltechnic Systems (Aust) Pty Ltd (Tooltechnic) in lodging the first ever resale price maintenance (RPM) notification under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, since notifications were introduced in November 2017.

• Try our 5 step clinical governance health check to driving quality and safety.
  

  Safety and quality issues keep healthcare ers awake at night.

  Certainly in Victoria at the moment there's an intense focus on these issues. The release of the 'Targeting Zero" report in 2016 (colloquially known as the Duckett Report) was triggered by a tragic series of events at Djerriwarrah Health Service in Bacchus Marsh. The investigation into those events found that 7 out of 11 perinatal deaths during 2013-2014 were avoidable.

• Watch out – Australian Consumer Law broadens again
  

  A key change coming into effect on 1 July 2021 will shine a spotlight on who is a 'consumer', plus future reforms to major failures and unfair terms.

• Managing cartel risks arising from COVID-19 in the health sector
  

  While the health sector is being called on respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in unprecedented ways, there is no automatic 'public interest' exemption to our competition law where businesses coordinate or act collectively.

• COVID-19 and recent developments in the health regulatory space
  

  The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic increase in the promotion and sale of various products which may be used to combat the virus. By stepping up to manufacture, advertise and supply products such as hand sanitiser and disinfectants, companies are also stepping into the regulatory framework for therapeutic goods. 

• Shifting consumer expectations in healthcare – it's an empowerment game
  

  A recap from our Patients Aren't Widgets seminar.

  How new technologies and changing consumer expectations is signalling disruption to the health industry and the importance of finding ways to better measure and translate patient satisfaction and outcomes.

   

• Important changes to National Health Reform Agreement for public health
  

  Changes to the National Health Reform Agreement will take effect from 1 July 2020. These will impact the claiming of Medicare benefits for private health services provided within public hospitals.

• Can new technology help tackle Australia’s opioid crisis? MinterEllison and Scriptwise host industry experts
  

  Electronic records and real-time prescription monitoring hold the potential to enable new ways to prevent harms associated with prescription medication use. Industry experts in attendance called for clear legal principles around what the duty of care looks like in the age of electronic records.

• 5 drivers to exceptional Patient Experience
  What do healthcare and hospitality have in common? More than we think. Healthcare reform is pushing the industry into uncharted territory. Healthcare providers must make decisions without precedent, and consumers are savvier than ever.