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

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, 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

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

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

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

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 

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.

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, 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, 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