- Adelaide, SA; Brisbane, QLD; Canberra, ACT; Darwin, NT; Hobart, TAS; Melbourne, VIC; Perth, WA; Sydney, NSW; Alice Springs, NT; Bendigo, VIC; Mackay, QLD; Newcastle, NSW; Orange, NSW; Rockhampton, QLD; Townsville, QLD
- $173,197 – $187,464

- Principal Government Lawyer - EL2
- Adelaide, SA; Brisbane, QLD; Canberra, ACT; Darwin, NT; Hobart, TAS; Melbourne, VIC; Perth, WA; Sydney, NSW; Alice Springs, NT; Bendigo, VIC; Mackay, QLD; Newcastle, NSW; Orange, NSW; Rockhampton, QLD; Townsville, QLD
- $173,197 – $187,464

About The Department Of Employment And Workplace Relations

We are committed to empowering futures, ensuring rights and enriching lives. We support people to have safe, secure and well-paid work with the skills for a sustainable future as we ourselves strive to be a model employer. We provide the framework for fair and productive relationships between employers and employees. We also oversee skills development and training initiatives to support those entering the workforce or re-training to take advantage of emerging employment opportunities. With us, your work directly contributes to shaping the employment landscape. Whether you are engaging in policy development, program implementation, or direct support services, your efforts will have a tangible impact on job seekers, employees and the economy by giving them a framework to build a future anchored and realised through employment. It is our ambition to do things differently, to create the ‘department of great jobs’– where our people reflect our purpose.

The Role

We are seeking a Principal Government Lawyer with strong commercial law expertise to co-lead and manage, in partnership with another Principal Government Lawyer,



a specialist commercial law team within the Commercial and Information Law Branch. The Branch services all commercial law needs of the department (with the assistance of external legal service providers where relevant) so the work is interesting and varied. You will be joining and experienced management team that is well established and respected for our high quality, solution focused advice across the department. As an ‘in house’ legal unit, you and your team will have a unique opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the core business of your client areas. Your team will primarily service the commercial law needs of the department’s Corporate and Enabling Services Group (including commercial property work, centralised procurement advising, and IT procurement and contracting), the Pacific Labour Operations Division (which administers the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme through deeds with participating employers) and the Workplace Relations Group. While we are advertising for a specific commercial position in the branch, we intend to use any resulting merit pool to fill other commercial PGL positions in the branch (there are six in total) that become vacant within the next 18 months.

We aim for a flexible and inclusive work workplace where we are invested in each other’s success and development,



maintain a ‘can do’ attitude and enjoy some camaraderie and good humour along the way.

Duties and Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities for this role include providing a broad range of legal services to the department’s Corporate and Enabling Group as to set out under the heading ‘the Role’ and demonstrating capabilities listed under the heading ‘Capabilities’ below. The duties and responsibilities for this role will also include complying with obligations in Commonwealth legislation and policies where relevant, for example the Public Service Act 1999 and the Legal Services Directions 2025.

Qualifications And Education

- a degree in laws from an Australian tertiary institution, or a comparable overseas qualification, which is appropriate to the duties of the position; and
- admission as a legal practitioner, however described, of the High Court or the Supreme Court of an Australian State or Territory with ideally at least 5 years post admission experience.

Eligibility

At DEWR we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and seek to recruit staff with a wide range of backgrounds, skill levels, disciplines and working styles. If this role resonates with you and you are excited about making an impact, but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway.

Citizenship

to be eligible for employment with the Department, you must be an Australian Citizen or, in limited circumstances, in the process of obtaining it.

Security Clearance

our successful candidate is required to hold, or have the ability to obtain, and maintain a Baseline security clearance.

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📌 Principal Government Lawyer (Queensland)
🏢 Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
📍 Queensland