The Team

The Legal Services Branch is a growing, dynamic team that provides legal, commercial, and regulatory advice, as well as conducts investigations to ensure and maintain the integrity of Commonwealth electoral systems and processes. The Branch has an active role supporting and increasing capabilities across the AEC through training and guidance.

The Legal Services Branch is headed by the Chief Legal Officer and has three legal teams: Electoral Law, Corporate Law and Regulatory Law. Branch members are predominately located in Canberra and Brisbane. Applicants from other capital cities will be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on skills and experience.

Regulatory law

• Ensures compliance with offences in electoral legislation, provides regulatory advice and where necessary seeks enforcement in the courts (civil or criminal).
• Is responsible for the enforcement of the civil and criminal offence provisions in the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 including but not limited to the authorisation requirements, multi voter and non-voter requirements, anti-avoidance compliance and other offences (e.g. bribery, misleading and deceptive publications and other polling place offences).
• Undertakes work in relation to other regulatory legislation such as the Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014 and the Criminal Code Act 1995.
• Attends court to prosecute non-voters.

Electoral law

• Provides legal advice to the AEC in relation to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984, as well as industrial elections, fee-for-service elections and ballots, and Torres Strait Regional Authority.
• Advises on statutory interpretation and administrative law issues.
• Provides advice and support in relation to the legislative development process.
• Assists the AEC to make robust administrative law decisions.
• Co-ordinates FOI decision-making, which is shared across all legal teams.

Corporate law

• Provides advice to the AEC on matters that affect the day-to-day running of the agency including advising on a wide range privacy, information law, commercial law and employment law matters.
• Provides advice on commercial law and contract management, particularly in relation to the commercial negotiation of the AEC’s internal ICT modernisation project, funding and disclosure reform program and a diverse range of procurements to support the staging of elections and referenda and the AEC’s business as usual functions.
• Provides advice and acts in employment law matters, including Fair Work Commission and Australian Human Rights Commission complaints.
• Provides advice on privacy matters.

The Opportunities

We are looking for legal talent to fill vacant positions across each of the three legal teams and create a merit pool for future opportunities, at the Senior Government Lawyer (EL1) level. Senior Government Lawyers manage and undertake day-to-day matters relating to the provision of legal advice and legal services to all areas of the AEC.

The duties of the positions involve being responsible for undertaking complex and/or sensitive legal work under broad direction, including to:

• provide high quality legal advice
• undertake research and analysis of legal issues
• attend court and tribunal matters
• draft and review policies for the agency
• correspond with internal and external stakeholders including external legal providers, the Minister’s office, other APS agencies and political parties
• provide training to the agency on legal issues, and
• participate in section planning and aligning longer term plans with the AEC’s goals and objectives.

The APS work level standards accommodate the diversity of roles across the APS and are structured to clearly differentiate between the work expected (i.e. responsibilities and duties) at each classification level.

To excel you’ll have:

• Minimum 3 years post admission experience.
• Demonstrated ability to perform the duties of a Senior Government Lawyer and well-developed ability to analyse issues and provide high quality legal services.
• High standard of attention to detail and effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work under limited supervision, take initiative, meet deadlines, and support management of a legal practice.
• Proven ability to work within a team and lead legal matters to ensure high quality outputs, including building team capability to maintain a high level of expertise and encourage career development.
• Experience in developing and actively managing key internal and external relationships, including collaborating with key stakeholders to identify opportunities, achieve outcomes and facilitate cooperation.
• Personal drive and integrity whilst achieving results within legislative and budget parameters
• A degree in law from an Australian tertiary institution, admission to practice in Australia as a legal practitioner and a practising certificate (or ability to acquire one).
• Experience in or ability to rapidly develop experience in at least one of the areas of law covered by the three legal teams: regulatory or compliance work and advocacy, statutory interpretation and advice writing, administrative law, employment law, commercial law, FOI and Privacy.

Eligibility

• AEC employees must be Australian citizens.
• Any person who is, and seen to be active in political affairs, and intends to publicly carry on this activity, may compromise the strict neutrality of the AEC and cannot be considered.
• Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain and maintain a character clearance.
• Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain and maintain the security clearance required for this role.

Contact: Stephanie Yusi, [email protected]

Due Date: Monday, 4 August 2025, 11:59pm AEST