Current practice

Michael is a partner practising in the employee relations, construction/infrastructure and compliance groups. Michael has worked with the Brisbane practice since 1995.

Industry experience

Having worked for government, corporate, trade union and employer association organisations, Michael has a full range of experience in the legal, technical, economic, political and psychological aspects of industrial relations. He has represented Pacific Coal, Santos, Caltex, BP and South Blackwater Coal operators in both coal and hydrocarbons industry. Michael has acted extensively for a number of companies involved in contract mining in the coal industry, including Thiess Contractors in the development of contract mining arrangements in several central Queensland mines. He is currently advising the proponents of major metalliferous mine and process engineering projects in Queensland.

Michael’s range of experience includes:

• working for ten years in the state government departments responsible for employee/industrial relations issues in Queensland
• representing and advising the Ports Corporation and various port authorities in relation to the construction and operation of bulk handling facilities
• advising government departments including water resources, Queensland Railways, Main Roads Department and the Health Department
• advising the government in relation to its port operation facilities including piloting and line boat operations
• advising various local government and indigenous community councils around Queensland, primarily in relation to their infrastructure and operational businesses, including quarrying operations conducted by local authorities
• advising  major national contracting companies in relation to all of their contracting activities, including mine construction projects, mining contract operations, and process engineering works. Major clients included Leighton Contractors, Roche Brothers, Clough Engineering, Thiess Contractors, John Holland Constructions, Henry and Walker, and Costain/Peabody. This involved both coal and hardrock mining and also petroleum and hydrocarbons work
• conducting his own industrial relations consultancy business operating in the mining and construction industries.

During this period he provided consultancy services to the Australian Workers Union in the development of its IR strategy for the development of Kenmare Mine and the registration of the first single union mine development agreement in the coal industry.

Professional background

Michael holds a Bachelor of Law from Queensland University, a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration from the Queensland University of Technology and a Certificate in Industrial Relations from the Brisbane Institute of Technology and Further Education.

Michael is also active outside the legal profession, being involved in a number of organisations in construction and other industries. Since 1992, he has lectured part-time with the Queensland University of Technology in both employee relations and project management law.