I work with clients to navigate the complex regulatory requirements of the healthcare and medical research sectors. This includes advising on compliance with a wide range of legislative requirements, public health funding arrangements, privacy and regulation of data, managing data breaches, medical and health technology and devices, and medical research agreements. I have a deep understanding of the industry and its drivers.

In addition to my diverse practical experience, I have a Master of Laws from the University of Pennsylvania in the US, for which I specialised in health law, policy and bioethics.

I am dedicated to providing clients with prompt and practical legal advice.

Career highlights

• Supported public agencies in their response to COVID-19 including data management, privacy and public health emergency powers.
• Advised on access to Medicare benefits under State/Federal funding arrangements, advised private providers on compliance with Medicare rules, advised on availability of PBS medicines in public facilities.
• Advised public and private hospitals in relation to secrecy, privacy and confidentiality obligations, managed privacy breaches including mandatory data breach reporting under the Privacy Act, advised on the implementation of the Australian My Health Record initiative.
• Advised government, local private entities and in bound investors into the healthcare sector on a range of issues including regulation of dangerous drugs, regulation of diagnostic imaging and pathology businesses, compliance with TGA registration requirements and advertising restrictions.
• Negotiated agreements and advised in relation to legal risks arising from research and clinical trial arrangements.
• Supported the Gender Clinic at the Queensland Children’s Hospital, including bringing applications for hormone treatment in the Family Court of Australia.

Education
LLM, LLB, BSc (Neuroscience)

• RTI Reform in Queensland. What is the impact on your agency?
  

  Long awaited changes to the Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld) have passed. We examine the changes and how agencies can prepare.

• Mind matters: Colorado amends privacy laws to protect neural data
  

  The Colorado Privacy Act has recently been amended to protect "neural data". We explore the key changes and whether Australia's Privacy Laws are keeping pace.

• Assisted reproductive technology reform in Queensland
  

  On 22 May 2024, the Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill 2024 was introduced into the Queensland Parliament

• Privacy Milestone: First Tranche of Privacy Reforms Passed
  

  The Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 (Cth) has been passed by both Houses of Parliament.

• OAIC clarifies artificial intelligence (AI) privacy obligations
  

  On October 21, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner published two guides about how privacy laws apply to AI.

• Senate Committee Report on proposed Privacy Act amendments
  

  On 14 November, the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee released its report on Privacy Act amendments, now with the Senate for debate.

• On the road: Australia's privacy law overhaul begins
  

  We examine the implications of the Australian Federal Government's introduction of the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024.

• Good Machine Learning Practice for medical devices
  

  The International Medical Device Regulators Forum is consulting on draft Guiding principles on good machine learning practice for medical device development.

• Branching out: prescribing and supplying medicinal cannabis
  

  Health practitioners prescribing or supplying medicinal cannabis operate in a complex and evolving regulatory landscape. We highlight key considerations here.

• TGA publishes consultation findings: AI and medical devices
  

  The TGA's report on AI in medical devices clarifies existing rules for stakeholders and highlights mental health apps and medical scribes.

• Unlawful pharma and health service advertising in regulators' sights
  

  Unlawful advertising of therapeutic goods and health services are the target of a number of open investigations by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), signalling increased scrutiny.

• The future of clinical trials: insights from health leaders
  

  Our Clinical Trials Roundtable series brought together sector ers to explore opportunities for collaboration and innovation across Australia’s clinical trials landscape.

• Landmark decision: Australian Clinical Labs to pay penalties
  

  The first civil penalty hearing brought under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) has concluded with the Court ordering Australian Clinical Labs to pay $5.8M in penalties.

• First review into Australian human tissue laws since the 1970s is underway
  

  The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) has released an Issues Paper as part of its first inquiry into Australian human tissue laws in nearly 50 years. Submissions in response to the Issues Paper are due by 4 July 2025.

• TGA report reveals many cosmetic products and services are being advertised illegally
  

  A new TGA report appears to reveal a very limited understanding among the industry and consumers regarding the regulatory framework for cosmetic products and services which are therapeutic in nature.

• The COVIDSafe app - five key considerations
  

  The Australian government’s contact tracing app ‘COVIDSafe’ is now available for download. How can the personal data collected be used? We set out five key considerations about the COVID-19 app, looking at how privacy is protected.

• Health sector faces more cyber attacks than any other
  

  According to the OAIC, 23% of recent data breaches occurred in the health sector. Our report explores cyber risk trends, the unique challenges facing health organisations and how they can mitigate risk.

• What is the difference between privacy and cyber security?
  

  Privacy and security are not the same thing – though they are related in many ways. How can organisations make privacy a priority in IT projects?

   

• First Security of Critical Infrastructure Bill is now live
  

  On 2 December 2021 the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2021 (Cth) received royal assent and became law in Australia. We explore what it means going forward.

• Data's opportunities and risks for private health insurers
  

  The private health insurance industry has always been data driven. Data analytics are becoming more important and more powerful – and can be used as a critical tool in decision making. We examine how.

• Voluntary Assisted Dying in Queensland
  

  Overnight, Queensland has become the fifth Australian State to legalise voluntary assisted dying. We explore key considerations for entities operating in the health, aged and care services sectors to prepare for implementation.

• 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.

• Decoding proposed Online Privacy Code and Privacy Act Review
  

  The Attorney-General's Department is continuing to progress broad privacy reform to reflect the new requirements of the 'digital age'. In two parts, we examine in detail the recently published Privacy Act Review Discussion Paper and the exposure draft of the Online Privacy Bill.

   

   

• Changes to critical infrastructure laws in 2021: is your sector impacted?
  

  The Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020 (Cth) is currently before Parliament and may increase the regulatory burden for those responsible for critical infrastructure assets in designated 'critical' sectors, as well as the government's powers over those assets.

• Regulatory changes for software based medical devices
  

  Regulatory changes for software based medical devices will commence on 25 February 2021. With telehealth technologies, wearable devices and various health and wellbeing apps thriving, software developers and technology device manufacturers should be asking the question: Is my product a medical device?

• Digital health reforms: the Regulatory Reform Omnibus Act
  

  The Regulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2025 introduces reforms across several areas of the healthcare sector. This article examines the amendments to the healthcare identifier framework, My Health Record and the Australian Immunisation Register.

• $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.

• OAIC releases its annual report for 2019-2020
  

  The OAIC's 2019-2020 annual report (OAIC Report) was published on 15 October 2020, and provides a thorough review of the OAIC's functions over 2019-2020. This post details some of the key items set out in the OAIC Report.

• Privacy Act Review: Seven key considerations for the healthcare industry
  

  The Attorney-General's Department's new Issues Paper in relation to its Review of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) has some important considerations for the healthcare industry. We discuss the key issues.

   

• Release of the data availability and transparency bill
  

  The proposed Data Availability and Transparency Bill, introduced in September 2020, offers an alternative path for the Commonwealth Government to share data. We discuss what it means for entities seeking access to public sector data.

• Surrogacy under scrutiny: key questions from ALRC's 2025 Paper
  

  The Australian Law Reform Commission has released its issues paper on the national inquiry into surrogacy laws.

• Queensland Privacy and RTI Reform: Ready for IPOLA 2025?
  

  Queensland privacy and RTI reforms commence on 1 July 2025 — check if your agency will be compliant.

• New opt-out model for My Health Record information
  

  Sharing by default was recently legislated to modernise the My Health Record to a default 'opt-out' system.

• AI and Healthcare: Summary of Commonwealth Consultations
  

  Explore proposed regulatory changes and implications for the health sector following consultation efforts by Commonwealth Government Departments on the use of AI in healthcare and medical devices.

• 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.

• Facial recognition technology: who's watching?
  

  We look at recent developments in facial recognition technology, including the investigation into technology developed by Clearview 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.

• New regulatory framework for sharing Commonwealth public sector data - the DATA Scheme
  

  The Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022 (Cth) (DATA Act) establishes a new regulatory framework for the controlled sharing of Commonwealth public sector data.

• Queensland Parliament to consider donor-conceived register
  

  On 24 February 2022, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice announced that Queensland Parliament has referred the rights of donor-conceived persons to access genetic information about their donors to the Legal Affairs and Safety Committee for inquiry.

• The Community Support and Services Committee report recommendations for Queensland Parliament
  

  On 31 October 2022, the Community Support and Services Committee tabled its report into decriminalising public intoxication and begging offences, and health and social welfare-based responses.

• New privacy law sees tougher penalties and enforcement powers for serious and repeated privacy breaches
  

  The Australian federal government has passed the Privacy Legislation Amendment (Enforcement and Other Measures) Bill 2022.

• Queensland Legal Affairs and Safety Committee delivers its report into donor conception information
  

  On 31 August 2022, the Legal Affairs and Safety Committee tabled its report into matters relating to donor conception information before the Legislative Assembly. The report recommends Queensland Parliament introduce sweeping reform on the regulation of donor conception information. We discuss the key recommendations of the report that industry stakeholders need to be aware of.

• Key insights from the new Queensland Privacy Commissioner
  

  Sonja Read spoke with Paxton Booth, Queensland's Privacy Commissioner about his previous roles, agenda and hot topics for 2022.

• The long road to Australian privacy reform
  

  The Federal Government's response to the Privacy Act 1988 review outlines reform plans and their impact on regulated entities.

• The most sweeping reforms to Australian privacy law in over twenty years
  

  The Federal Government has released its long-awaited report of the Attorney-General's Department review of the Privacy Act 1988. We explore the proposed reforms and their impacts in detail.

• Harnessing meaningful innovation to transform the health industry
  

  We examine how organisations can unlock meaningful digital and data innovation to enable safe digital transformation that both improves patient outcomes and clinician experience.

• Changes to telehealth: what you need to know
  

  Ahpra's new Telehealth Guidelines will come into effect on 1 September 2023. The Guidelines will change when and how doctors can provide telehealth consultations.

• Branching out: Ahpra publishes cannabis prescriber guidance
  

  On 9 July 2025, Ahpra published guidance on medicinal cannabis prescribing. We summarise 5 key takeaways for prescribers and provide additional guidance for medicinal cannabis businesses.

• Responsible use of AI: New Australian guardrails released
  

  We explore the Australian Government's two newly released publications to guide the development and deployment of AI in Australia.

• National Framework for the Assurance of AI in Government
  

  Federal, state and territory governments have released a new National Framework for the Assurance of Artificial Intelligence in Government.

• OAIC privacy guidance for AI developers
  

  On October 21 2024, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) published privacy guidance for 'developers' of artificial intelligence (AI) that are subject to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act).

• Ahpra introduces AI guidance for health practitioners
  

  Ahpra recently published guidance outlining how health practitioners can meet their existing professional obligations when using artificial intelligence (AI)

• Innovation meets regulation: Medical devices and artificial intelligence
  

  When is Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medical devices regulated? This article provides a quick summary of the key things healthcare providers and innovators need to know. It also outlines the key implications of updated guidance by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on 3 July 2024.

• Entering the future: Use of AI in the healthcare sector
  

  How are healthcare providers actually using AI? Here is a brief survey of the market.

• Shared medical record platform in Victoria
  

  This article summarises the changes to the Health Services Act 1988 (Vic)(HSA).