image of Eleanor DickensEleanor Dickens

Clayton Utz Partner , Brisbane T +61 7 3292 7127 https://www.claytonutz.com

From her time as a senior policy adviser for the Queensland and Northern Territory Governments in positions, Eleanor Dickens has an acute awareness of the issues and challenges that are specific to public sector clients and gives them practical advice and solutions they can use.

She brings that insider knowledge to her main areas of expertise: public, administrative and regulatory law, with a special focus on information law (privacy; freedom of information and public records), judicial review and statutory decision-making processes; integrity, corruption and accountability and legal policy.

Complementing that is Eleanor's significant experience in other core concerns for government: restructuring and privatisation, procurement and public sector governance.

Her deep understanding of the legal frameworks in which government operates has led to Eleanor teaching at QUT, and co-authoring the Queensland Administrative Law Reports with Bill Lane.

Eleanor shares her knowledge with clients in valuable workshops offered through Clayton Utz Training Program.

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Expertise

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Administrative and Public Law

Eleanor has advised on all aspects of the practice and procedures of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, particularly regarding the review jurisdiction of the Tribunal.  

See Administrative and Public Law

Government Services

Information Law

A key practitioner in the Brisbane office in this area, Eleanor has provided advisory and processing services to a range of public sector entities on all aspects of the Right to Information Act, the Information Privacy Act and the Public Records Act. She has advised on a range of large, complex and politically sensitive matter, including applications from large media outlets or high-profile individuals and organisations. She has consistently delivered results in this area, having successfully defended numerous decisions under the external review process. 

Investigations

Eleanor has provided advice to various Departments, Statutory Authorities and Local Governments on a range of investigative matters, and has dealt with legal issues such as the appropriate structure of an investigation, natural justice issues and the relationship between natural justice considerations and confidentiality considerations, the status of investigation documents under the Right to Information Act / Freedom of Information Act and evidentiary matter.

Integrity and accountability matters

Eleanor has extensive experience in providing advice and investigatory services to Government Departments and Government Owned Corporations in respect of highly sensitive integrity and accountability matters.

Judicial review

Eleanor has advised on all aspects of the practice and procedures of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, particularly regarding the review jurisdiction of the Tribunal.

Integrity reforms

Eleanor has extensive experience in advising a range of government entities of the new integrity related reforms including those regarding lobbying activities (Integrity Act) and whistleblower protection frameworks (Public Interest Disclosure Act), as well as advising and conducting investigations relevant to agency responsibilities under the Crime and Misconduct Act.

Government policy

Eleanor advises government agencies in relation to the design, status and development of government policy and has provided the factors to which regard may be had in the exercise of statutory decision-making powers and the circumstances in which government policy may be challenged.

Government Owned Corporations

Eleanor has provided advice to a number of Government Owned Corporations on a broad range of issues, including their powers and functions under the Government Owned Corporations Act, the drafting Statements of Corporate Intent, the powers of shareholding ministers and general corporate governance issues.

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Corporatisation and Privatisation

Government Owned Corporations

Eleanor has provided advice to a number of Government Owned Corporations on a broad range of issues, including their powers and functions under the Government Owned Corporations Act, the drafting Statements of Corporate Intent, the powers of shareholding ministers and general corporate governance issues.

Integrity and accountability matters

Eleanor has extensive experience in providing advice and investigatory services to Government Departments and Government Owned Corporations in respect of highly sensitive integrity and accountability matters.

See Corporatisation and Privatisation

Knowledge

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