QELA Management Committee

Mitchel Batty

President

BIO

Mitchel Batty

Mitchel Batty, Barrister-at-Law

Mitchel is a barrister. He is a member of Byth Chambers.

Since being called to the bar, Mitchel has practised almost exclusively in the Planning and Environment Court jurisdiction.

Mitchel was elected to the QELA Management Committee in 2018.

President - Present
Vice President 2021 - 2024
Chair, International Conference 2022 - Present
Co-Chair, Legislative Review Sub-Committee 2022
Secretary 2020
Co-Chair, Membership Sub-Committee 2018 - 2021

Robyn Lamb

Vice President

BIO

Robyn Lamb

Robyn Lamb, Partner, HopgoodGanim Lawyers

Robyn is a Partner in HopgoodGanim Lawyers' Planning and Environment team. Her experience includes development applications, development approvals, enforcement, compensation claims, major projects, infrastructure and representation in the Planning and Environment Court and Court of Appeal.

Robyn holds qualifications in Laws and Education from the Queensland University of Technology.

Robyn was elected to the Management Committee in 2020.

Vice President, Management Committee - Present
Co-Chair, Seminar Sub-Committee 2020 - Present
Member, Special Projects Sub-Committee 2021 - Present
Member, Legislative Review Committee 2015 - 2019, 2021 - Present
Member, Seminar Sub-Committee 2009 - 2020

Kate Buckley

Vice President

BIO

Kate Buckley

Kate Buckley, Barrister-at-Law

I was called to the Bar in July 2017 and have a broad practice, including planning and environment and family law. It has been an honour to contribute to the QELA Management Committee for the past three years, and develop the seminars schedule into contemporary and diverse program. This contribution builds on my experience with broader committee work, including being a current General Board member for QELA, a former President of Queensland Young Lawyers and a General Board member for the Family Law Practitioners Association.

Kate was elected to the Management Committee in 2020.

Vice President, Management Committee - Present
Co-Chair, Seminar Sub-Committee 2020 - Present
Co-Chair, Mentor Program 2021
Member, Conference Sub-Committee 2019 - 2020

Romin Nejad

Treasurer

BIO

Romin Nejad

Romin Nejad, General Manager, Principal Environmental Engineer, Epic Environmental

Romin is a Principal Environmental Engineer at Epic Environmental with 20 years’ experience working as an environmental consultant and manager. Romin consults to a variety of industries including local governments, developers, resource entities, government owned corporations, industry and contractors.

Romin’s primary focus areas span both planning and compliance including strategic advice, risk assessments, statutory approval applications, approval conditioning, management plans, environmental auditing and environmental management systems.

Romin has degrees in engineering, environmental management and business administration.

Romin was elected to the QELA Management Committee in 2019

Treasurer 2020 - Present
Co-Chair, Conference Sub-Committee - Present
Co-Chair, Special Projects Sub-Committee 2021 - Present
Member, Conference Sub-Committee 2022
Co-Chair, Membership Sub-Committee 2020 - 2021
Member, Legislative Review Sub-Committee 2019 - 2020
Member, Seminar, Sub-Committee 2018
Member, Membership Sub-Committee 2018

Rachel Jones

Secretary

BIO

Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones, Special Counsel, McCullough Robertson

Rachel is a specialist planning and development lawyer focusing on planning and environment litigation, advisory work and compliance.

Rachel acts for private and commercial clients, including property developers, submitters and local and state government departments in all facets of planning and environment law.

Rachel has significant experience in undertaking due diligence on prospective land purchases, existing use rights, regulatory compliance and considering proposals prior to lodgement.

She has a strong focus on planning and environment litigation including appeals and enforcement proceedings in the Planning and Environment Court.

Rachel regularly provides advice in relation to local planning schemes, environmental and town planning compliance matters, infrastructure charges and infrastructure agreements. Her expertise includes advising clients on the requirements of the Planning Act 2016 (Qld) and all its related legislation and predecessors.

Rachel was elected to the QELA Management Committee in 2021.

Secretary - Present
Co-Chair, Expert Witness Workshop Sub-Committee 2023 - Present
Chair, Legislative Review Sub-Committee 2021 - 2023
Member, Seminar Sub-Committee 2022
Member, Expert Witness Workshop Sub-Committee 2021 – 2022
Management Committee Member 2021 - Present
Member, Conference Sub-Committee 2019
Chair, Seminar Sub-Committee 2018
Management Committee Member 2017 – 2018
Member, Seminar Sub-Committee 2016 – 2018
Member, Conference Sub-Committee 2014 – 2015

In addition to the above, Rachel has also been a member of the Seminar Sub-Committee and Conference Sub-Committees over numerous years.

Hannah Riggs

Immediate Past President

BIO

Hannah Riggs

Hannah Riggs, Partner, Carter Newell

Hannah provides both private and public sector clients with pragmatic advice relating to planning and development approvals, environmental compliance, incidence response, litigious negotiation and matter strategy. She gives strategic advice and undertakes complex litigation, having appeared on behalf of her clients in the Planning and Environment Court, the Court of Appeal and the Land Court.

Hannah has been recognised by Best Lawyers in Australia since the 2019 edition in the fields of Planning and Environmental Law and Land Use and Zoning Law. She is also recognised by Doyle’s Guide as a Leading Town Planning & Development Lawyer.

Hannah was elected to the QELA Management Committee in 2015.

Immediate Past President - Present
President - 2022 - 2024
Vice President 2020 - 2022
Member, Regional Intensive Sub-Committee Present
Member, Legislative Review Sub-Committee Present
Member, Expert Witness Sub-Committee Present
Member, Special Projects Sub-Committee - 2021-Present
Co-Chair, Conference Sub-Committee 2019-2022
Treasurer 2016 - 2020
Chair, Finance Sub-Committee 2016 - 2019
Chair, Seminar Sub-Committee 2016 – 2017, 2019 - 2020
Member Conference Sub-Committee 2012, 2016 - Present
Member Seminar Sub-Committee 2013 - Present

Jane Bowness

BIO

Jane Bowness

Jane Bowness, Barrister-at-Law

Jane was called to the bar in 2022 and practices primarily in the Queensland Planning and Environment Court. Before being called to the bar, Jane was associate to his Honour Judge Williamson KC of the District Court of Queensland and Planning and Environment Court of Queensland, and worked as a solicitor in the Planning and Environment team at McCullough Robertson.

Jane was accepted into the Management Committee 2023

Chair, Legislative Review Sub-Committee - Present
Member, Seminar Sub-Committee - Present

Kristy Gilvear

BIO

Kristy Gilvear

Kristy Gilvear, Managing Director, Gilvear Planning

Kristy has worked in the planning and development sector for over 20 years, initially in a legal setting and later as a Planner. Since establishing Gilvear Planning in 2009, Kristy has been engaged by local authorities, private sector and publicly listed landowners to provide strategic, development assessment and general advisory services.

Kristy has been involved in projects across a variety of sectors including industrial, retail, residential and rural. In addition, she has provided advice on a range of non-traditional development projects, including land exchanges, acquisitions, public consultation exercises, relocation of community facilities, submissions regarding changes to planning schemes and policy, and access to and use of water resources. Kristy has a particular focus on providing planning and approvals management advice, including ongoing operational compliance advice, to quarry and large agri-business operators. Kristy has assisted in Planning and Environment Court Appeals, as well as providing strategic and approvals advice for large scale developments (residential, commercial, industrial and rural) including liaison with legal representatives and other professional consultants.

In her role as Managing Director, Kristy provides strategic direction and oversees business development and corporate management activities for the business across the country, whilst continuing to provide assistance to clients large and small.

Kristy was elected into the Management Committee in 2022

Chair, Regional Intensive Sub-Committee - Present
Member, Legislative Review Sub-Committee - Present

Kieran Ryan

BIO

Kieran Ryan

Kieran Ryan, Director, Reel Planning

Kieran is currently a Director of Reel Planning and has been a consultant town planner for over 16 years. Based in Brisbane, Kieran works across all sectors of Reel Planning’s business including local government (including statutory and strategic projects), private Development Applications and Expert Witness Services.

Kieran has attended almost all the annual conferences over the past 16 years in addition to various other QELA run events.

Kieran was elected to the Management Committee in 2020.

Co-Chair, Expert Witness Workshop Sub-Committee 2021 - Present
Member, Regional Intensive Sub-Committee - Present
Co-Chair, Special Projects Sub-Committee 2021 - 2022
Co-Chair, Regional Intensive Sub-Committee 2021

Morgan Pearce

BIO

Morgan Pearce

Morgan Pearce, Senior Associate, Corrs Chambers Westgarth

I am a planning and environmental law specialist with over 10 years of experience advising local and state government, developers, industrial clients, resources clients and government-owned corporations on a range of planning and environmental law issues.

I have broad experience acting in planning appeals and declaratory proceedings in the Planning and Environment Court, environmental prosecutions in the Magistrates Court and land acquisition proceedings in the Land Court.

I also provide strategic advice on planning and environmental due diligence, compliance issues, development assessment, infrastructure delivery, cultural heritage, and pollution and contamination.

Morgan was elected to the Management Committee in 2024

Member, Conference Sub-Committee 2023-2024
Member, Regional Intensive Sub-Committee 2021
Member, Expert Witness Workshop Sub-Committee 2021
Member, Biennial Events Sub-Committee 2020
Member, Membership Sub-Committee 2019

Ronald Yuen

BIO

Ronald Yuen

Ronald Yuen, Barrister-at-Law, Byth Chambers

I have practised law for about 15 years and have almost exclusively practised in the areas of planning, government, infrastructure and environmental law for over 10 years.

Prior to calling to the Bar in 2020, I was a Senior Solicitor at City Legal of Brisbane City Council for over 2 years and was a Senior Associate in private firms for a number of years.

I have represented and advised both public and private sector clients including local governments and property developers. I have extensive experience in advising clients on infrastructure related matters, including drafting complex infrastructure agreements and infrastructure planning and charging instruments.

Ronald was elected to the Management Committee in 2024

Member, Seminar Sub-Committee - Present