About Ben
Ben is a local government and planning and environment lawyer, focusing on planning and environment litigation including appeals, declaratory proceedings, enforcement proceedings, as well as infrastructure and governance advisory.
Ben acts for a variety of public and private sector clients including distributor retailers, local governments, government owned entities, town planning consultants, property developers and members of the community. Ben has a good foundation of knowledge when acting for both private clients and local government clients.
Ben has expertise working as an in-house lawyer for a local government and as a practitioner in private practice. He is recognised for his balanced and tempered approach to providing advice to his clients regardless of if they are a local government or a developer, which is critical to achieving successful and cost-effective outcomes.
Specialisations
Experience
Various Local Governments
Acting for a variety of public sector clients including Redland City Council, City of Gold Coast, Gladstone Regional Council, Logan City Council, Mackay Regional Council, and Noosa Regional Council in the Planning and Environment Court appeals regarding decisions relating to a development approval or refusal as well as enforcement proceedings to obtain declarations or enforcement orders.
Redland City Council
Successfully acting for Redland City Council in the matter of Envisage Development Pty Ltd v Redland City Council in defending Council’s decision to refuse a development application over Cleveland Railway Station.
Drafting local laws
Assisting with the drafting of local laws for public sector clients and has advised on anti-competitive provisions as well as updating instruments of appointment. Ben has also advised a number of public sector clients with regard to their complaint management process and assisted with investigations of community complaints.
Distributor-retailers
Regularly providing advice to distributor-retailers having regard to the South-East Queensland Water (Distribution and Retail Restructuring) Act 2009 (Qld) and other associated legislation.
Local Government
Providing advice to local government clients in relation to the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008 (Qld) and obtained dangerous dog declarations in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Local Government
Acting for a local government client in commencing enforcement proceedings against four separate parties for illegal vegetation clearing which resulted in achieving a positive outcome for the community.