Beyond The Rulebook: Ethics, Compliance, and Responsibility in Future-proofing Government & Closing Remarks

Beyond The Rulebook: Ethics, Compliance, and Responsibility in Future-proofing Government & Closing Remarks

Legal ethics, compliance, and professional responsibility are often assumed to be inseparable. This panel discussion challenges that assumption, asking whether integrity in government practice should be seen as a shared leadership responsibility across the public service. By re-examining the boundaries between law, ethics, and organisational accountability, our discussion will explore how government lawyers and advisors can contribute to futureproofing the public service – strengthening integrity, building capability, and ensuring that responsibility for ethical governance is embedded at every level and in all areas of a department.

CPD 1.0 (Core Area 1 — Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility)

FACILITATOR:

Hannah von Forell
Team Lead – Enforcement, Litigation
and Regulatory Law
Special Advisor – Legal, SPA Australia

PRESENTERS:

Bronwyn Fagan
Assistant Secretary – Commercial and Information Law Branch, Department of Home Affairs

Kate Lalor
Chief Counsel Legal Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 

David Cooke
Chief Counsel Corporate, Legal Services – Corporate Division, Services Australia

CLOSING REMARKS:

Zoe Lynam
National Lead – Legal
Managing Director, SPA Australia