- Executive Level 1 ($128,075 - $142,348)
- Legal and Parliamentary Section | Corporate Services Branch
- Canberra | Ongoing
Executive Level 1 (10025)
Corporate Services Branch
Canberra
About AFMA
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) aims to provide ecologically sustainable and economically efficient Commonwealth fisheries, through understanding and monitoring Australia’s marine living resources and regulating and monitoring commercial fishing, including domestic licensing and deterrence of illegal foreign fishing.
About the branch
The Corporate Services Branch supports our people through a wide range of enabling services and systems to support our operations, including HR management, financial management, security & risk, corporate governance, legal services, ICT & communications.
About the team
The Senior Government Lawyer works in the Legal and enterprise risk team and reports to directly to AFMA’s General Counsel. The team provides in-house legal services and support to AFMA staff, the AFMA Executive and AFMA’s Commission to ensure the agency meets its legislative objectives. In providing legal services, members of the team deal extensively with all levels of the agency and other government agencies, as well external stakeholders.
About the role
The Senior Government Lawyer is part of a small legal services team, working collegiately with other Senior Legal Officers, and AFMA’s General Counsel to provide in-house legal services for managing Commonwealth fisheries.
The legal services team support the agency in maintaining its integrity and reputation through ensuring that AFMA operates as a professional and accountable government agency, compliant
In addition to meeting the work level standards of the position classification, as an Executive Level 1 Senior Government Lawyer, you will:
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Provide legal advice to AFMA staff interpreting fisheries legislation and regulations, whole of government frameworks such as the Privacy Act 1988, the Freedom of Information Act 1983 and the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
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Negotiate, draft and advise on a range of legal documents. This includes formal reasons for decision, legislative instruments (and associated explanatory statements) and a range of information sharing arrangements.
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Liaise with external stakeholders, including, but not limited to:
- the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry,
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the Office of International Law (OIL) within the Attorney-General's Department,
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Maritime Border Command (including the Department of Defence, Department of Home Affairs and Australian Border Force),
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the Australian Government Solicitor,
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the Office of Parliamentary Counsel,
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the Office of Impact Analysis (OIA) with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,
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the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water,
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the Torres Strait Regional Authority and;
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the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
- Coordinate and advise on FOI applications, including preparing decision minutes for review and agreement of the General Counsel.
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Review, develop and deliver online and face-to-face training to a range of internal and external stakeholders.
Our ideal candidate
Our ideal candidate will:
- have experience in providing clear and comprehensive legal services and written legal advice on a wide range of government matters including experience advising on regulatory frameworks, the Privacy Act, and the FOI Act.
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demonstrate experience in working effectively and collaboratively within a small team in a busy environment with competing priorities.
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have strong leadership and management capability and be able to work with a high level of independence to ensure timely resolutions of issues and quality outcomes.
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be able to demonstrate extensive experience and skills in effective management of legal decision making, including decisions of the Commission, FOI and employment related decisions.
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have highly effective communication skills (written and verbal) and well-developed capability in developing and maintaining productive, strong working relationships with colleagues and other government agencies.
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be effective in conducting information, training and briefing sessions to support the development and maintenance of legal knowledge within the agency and to external stakeholders.
Essential requirements
Must hold a law degree and hold or be eligible to hold a restricted government legal practising certificate.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this role applicants must:
- hold a law degree and hold or be eligible to hold a restricted government legal practising certificate.
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be an Australian citizen
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have the ability to obtain, and maintain, a Baseline security clearance
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satisfy the requirements of an Australian Federal Police Check.
The selection panel intends to use Co-pilot to assist in creating the interview assessment commentary for the selection report. Selection panel members will take notes during the interview, with these combined and summarised by Co-pilot. The selection panel will review the proposed assessment commentary and amend if required, to reflect their assessment
Applications for this role close at 11:59pm (AEST), Monday 27 July 2026.
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