My government and corporate clients, including in health, education, infrastructure, transport, technology, and franchising sectors, value my focus on helping them achieve their objectives.

I regularly advise on protection of brands, copyright, confidential information and data, as well as technology transfer and licensing, research collaboration and intellectual property commercialisation. I deliver trusted technology, privacy, and data protection legal expertise - supporting ICT procurement and outsourcing transactions and advising on privacy, data protection and cyber security risks and issues.

I have significant experience in public sector-related commercial matters, particularly procurement, projects, and collaborations to support service delivery. This intersects with my regulatory work concerning statutory powers, governance and compliance.

Career highlights

• Longstanding and trusted advisor to Queensland Health (department and Hospital and Health Services) in general and commercial operations, including major projects, health services procurement, technology and telecommunications procurement, statutory powers, and research collaboration and commercialisation.
• Acted for a number of Local Governments on ICT procurement, contract optimisation and management, as well as dispute resolution for IT solutions for core Council services.
• Advised leading ASX-listed company on high value and strategic ICT procurement delivered in conjunction with MinterEllison Technology Consulting.
• Advised on Australia's largest Cooperative Intelligent Transport System on-road field trial being conducted in Ipswich. Providing key insights into regulatory and contract issues with particular focus on technology, IP, data and privacy risks.
• Advised global mining houses on IP, technology, communications and data management issues concerning autonomous haulage systems (AHS) at mine sites. Identification of key regulatory and legal issues and negotiation of contracts for high value, tech-integrated AHS to improve safety and productivity.
• Advising franchisors on franchised operations and legal compliance.
• Supporting a range of the firm's clients with their important work by providing advice on a diverse range of issues including technology; privacy; IP development, licensing and protection; research collaboration; fundraising, promotions, marketing and events.

• Early adopter's playbook: Deploying AI in healthcare

  By Vanessa Mellis |February 2024

• Early adopter's playbook: Deploying AI in healthcare

  By Vanessa Mellis |February 2024

• An AI balancing act – Australia's potential regulatory measures under consideration by  government
  

  Following the release of the Safe and Responsible AI in Australia Discussion Paper by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, we detail the various potential regulatory measures that under consideration by the government.

• The ethics of artificial intelligence: laws from around the world
  In this article, we examine the creation of frameworks for the ethical use of AI in Australia and globally.
• 'BrAInwashing': It's a thing
  

  You would have heard of 'greenwashing', but have you heard of 'brAInwashing'? We discuss the application of the Australian Consumer Law to the promotion of products and services which use AI.

• Government agrees to privacy consent proposals supporting research
  

  The Government has accepted the Privacy Act Review proposals regarding future research and further consultation on research permitted without consent.

• Protecting Australian infrastructure in a turbulent world
  

  The amendments to the SOCI Act are intended to help organisations and the government strengthen the protection of Australia's critical infrastructure assets. How should organisations approach the implementation of the new requirements? What opportunities exist to use the legislative change to drive better risk management, cyber risk and operational outcomes?

• Incident reporting and asset register obligations now in effect under SOCI
  

  On 6 April 2022, the Minister for Home Affairs enacted the Security of Critical Infrastructure (Application) Rules (LIN 22/026) 2022 (Cth) (Rules), which 'turn on' the incident reporting and asset register obligations for some sectors and assets under the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 (Cth) (SOCI Act).

   

• Fairness in franchising
  A parliamentary report on fairness in franchising has broad implications for both franchisors and franchisees.
• Queensland Government released new version of the QITC Contract Conditions
  Suppliers providing ICT products and services under the new version 2 of the QITC Contract Conditions will be obliged to comply with the Ethical Supplier Threshold under the Queensland Procurement Policy, with serious consequences for non-compliance.
• The European Union's AI Act – a model Australia will follow?
  

  The European Parliament recently passed its version of the Artificial Intelligence Act, a world-ing piece of legislation in the regulation of AI.

• Proposed Reforms to Queensland's Privacy and Right to Information Framework
  

  The Queensland Government released a consultation paper setting out proposed reforms to Queensland's privacy and right to information framework.

• National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research updated
  

  The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has released an updated National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2023 (National Statement). Set to commence on 1 January 2024, this is the first update to the National Statement since June 2018.

• Early adopter's playbook: Deploying AI in healthcare
  

  The transformational power of AI is set to redefine the modus operandi across various sectors, including healthcare. The life sciences sector in particular are already realising the benefits of AI. Their shared experiences offer other health organisations the opportunity to pre-empt some of the challenges associated with AI.

• Map to the future: Australian Government releases a roadmap for developing AI capability in Australia
  The global race to in AI is underway. The Commonwealth Government has recently contributed to the discussion with the release of Australia's AI Roadmap. It promotes strategies designed to advance Australia's AI capability and realise AI's potential for boosting industry productivity, creating jobs and economic growth, and improving the quality of life for Australians.
• Privacy reform in Queensland: It's (finally) time to prepare
  

  New obligations will apply to Queensland government agencies. We provide tips to prepare for the commencement of these Privacy amendments.

• SOCI Risk Management Program requirements now in effect
  

  On 17 February 2023, the Security of Critical Infrastructure Risk Management Program Rules commenced. The clock is now ticking for impacted responsible entities to become compliant with the risk management program obligation under the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act.

   

• SOCI Round 2 – law reform now enacted
  

  The second tranche of the Security of Critical Infrastructure laws passed on 31 March 2022 and commenced on 2 April 2022. The Rules will shortly undergo final consultation. We outline the latest amendments and need for prompt compliance action.

• Emerging standards for emerging technologies: AI Standards
  

  Standards Australia has commenced a consultation to carry forward standards-building efforts informing the development of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in Australia.

• Top 5 predictions for healthcare in 2024
  

  Health organisations face both opportunities for optimism and challenges to navigate in 2024. We look ahead and provide our top 5 predictions.

• An AI balancing act – Australia's road to enhanced AI regulation
  

  Following the release of the 'Safe and Responsible AI in Australia' Discussion Paper, the Department of Industry, Science and Resources is requesting submissions from the public on appropriate artificial intelligence policy settings and regulation. We set out the current regulatory frameworks in Australia and internationally considered by the Discussion Paper, as well as the various regulatory measures which are under consideration.

• TGA to expand regulatory oversight of personalised medical devices
  

  Some previously exempt custom-made and personalised medical devices (including some 3D printed devices) are now subject to new regulatory requirements.

• Mandatory safety guardrails foreshadowed for high-risk AI
  

  We explore the implications of the Australian Government's recently published 'Safe and responsible AI in Australia consultation interim response'.

• Human Rights in a robot world: the promise and perils of new technologies
  In its Human Rights and Technology Discussion Paper, the Australian Human Rights Commission has outlined a number of proposed reforms to protect and enhance human rights in the context of new technologies (including AI).
• CISC releases first Critical Infrastructure Annual Risk Review
  

  The Federal Government's first Critical Infrastructure Annual Risk Review is live, highlighting key security risks in 2023 and those flagged for 2024.

• The very bright future of CDR
  

  The Australian Government has released its response to the Inquiry into Future Directions for Consumer Data Right. With 94 out of 100 recommendations accepted, we explore what that means for the future.

• Beyond Asimov's Three Laws: A new ethical framework for AI developers
  It's time for a discussion on the proposed Artificial Intelligence: Australia's Ethics Framework to inform the federal government's approach to AI ethics in Australia.
• Five key technology and digital considerations for the public sector
  

  Technology and digital transformation uptake continues to accelerate in the public sector. The pace of change is unprecedented, and changes bring new challenges, issues and potential pitfalls.