Aps 6 Legislation Liaison Officer

APS 6 - $88,408 - $100,378 per annum plus superannuation
- Legal Division
- Canberra, ACT

**Who we are**

The Legal Division is managed by the Chief Counsel and is comprised of both lawyers and non-lawyers. Together we are responsible for all legal services and advice required by the department. We partner with the business areas of the department, the Executive, and the Secretary to identify and manage legal risk across the department and facilitate excellent legal outcomes for our clients.

As a member of the Division, you will have a key role in growing this department which has been established to deliver on matters which are at the forefront of our national agenda. You will be involved in interesting and important work which may span environment protection, energy, climate change and heritage, and on-ground operations in Commonwealth national parks and Antarctica. Work we do includes:

- Providing legal advice on a broad range of issues including statutory interpretation and administrative law, regulatory actions and investigations and commercial work and funding activities.
- Managing the department’s litigation across a broad range of matters including merits review, judicial review, commercial disputes, and Work Health and Safety matters, in a range of Courts and Tribunals.
- Developing legal risk and mitigation strategies, particularly in areas of novel or complex work.
- Developing and coordinating legislation bids and processes, including drafting instructions for the department’s ambitious legislative reform agenda.
- Developing legal guidance resources and delivering training for the department.
- Coordinating freedom of information requests and providing privacy advice.
- Providing administrative and financial support services to the Division.

The Legal Division operates in a fast paced, exciting environment. We focus on ensuring our staff are supported and developed so that they are in the best position to take on the challenges of the work. We provide competitive conditions and remuneration and provide opportunities for staff to both specialise and diversify their skills, while learning from and being supported by highly skilled senior staff.

Legislation design services to all areas of the department including advice in design and development of primary and subordinate legislation (including Regulations, rules and instruments), support for legislative projects in close collaboration with relevant legal advising teams, assistance with preparation of drafting instructions and extrinsic materials, legislative drafting and responses to scrutiny of portfolio legislation by Parliamentary Committees. Legislation liaison services, including coordinating the Department’s legislative program, legislation approval processes and parliamentary engagement. Dedicated support for large legislation projects, such as the Nature Positive reforms.

For all legislation activities, act as the primary point of contact with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, Ministers’ Offices, the Federal Executive Council, PM&C’s legislation office, the House and Senate Tabling Offices and the House and Senate Parliamentary Liaison Officers. Statutory interpretation and administrative law legal advice services to Water Policy Division, Water Reform Division, Water Infrastructure and Investment Division, and Environmental Water and Aquatic Ecosystems Division. General legal services to support the Director of National Parks and Parks Australia Division. Coordinate and advise on the implementation of all Schedule 1AB items and IRD instruments all bids for drafting resources all requirements for introduction of a Bill to the Parliament Draft business-as-usual subordinate instruments. Lodge subordinate instruments with OPC for registration on the Federal Register of Legislation.

**The Job**

The Assistant Legislation Liaison Officer works as part of the Legislation, Water and Parks Branch within the Legal Division to provide advice to Ministers Offices, and across DCCEEW, on a range of legislation process matters, including requirements for the introduction of Bills, parliamentary procedures, and decision making by the Federal Executive Council.

The specific duties of the role are:

- Providing advice on legislation, parliamentary and Executive Council decision making processes to Ministers Offices and stakeholders across DCCEEW.
- Maintaining key relationships and information flows about DCCEEW legislation between Ministers Offices, law and policy leads and external authorities for legislation (such as the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Executive Council Secretariat, Parliamentary Liaison Officers and Tabling Offices, the Attorney-General's Department, and the Office of Parliamentary Counsel).
- Assisting in the coordination and end-stage delivery of materials for Bills, regulations, and instruments.
- Collaborating closely with colleagues in the Legislation Practice and Chief Counsel Division, an