Mary Adam Email & Phone Number

Perth, Wa, Au

Perth, Wa, Au

Australia

A four decades old not-for-profit delivering sexual health and support services for people living with HIV, LGBTQIA+ people and people who use drugs. Contributed to significant strategic and constitutional overhaul to ensure that the organisation continues to provide services relevant to its stakeholders into the future Oversight of Clinical governance review resulting in National Primary and Community Healthcare Standards Leading current board governance review.

Australia

Global legal association promoting the common professional and business interests of inhouse counsel through information, education, networking opportunities, and advocacy initiatives. State President/Vice-President 2019 - 2022/2017 -2019 • Initiated annual business and governance reviews of the WA ACC executive committee to consider the needs of the membership and review performance as a Board • Successfully led ACC advocacy and collaboration to change the Legal Practice Board of WA’s position affecting the practice of Senior In-house Legal Counsel. Non-Executive Director, National Board 2017 -2022 • Supported the organisation through financial and existential challenges to successfully navigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. • Actively contributed to engagement with ACC Global leaders to renegotiate our funding arrangement • Strong contribution to strategic change, innovation, brand reinvigoration, attraction and retention of membership.

Western Australia, Australia

A statutory board advising the Minister for Local Government on local government constitutional matters such as the establishment and amalgamation of local governments and councillor representation. • Led the overhaul of the Board’s assessment and analytical processes to “bullet proof” its recommendations on the once-in-a-generation review of the structure of Perth metropolitan local governments to successfully defend Supreme Court challenges. • Led review of the Board’s governance framework to comply with, and be an exemplar of, the Public Sector Commission’s new governance requirements for government boards.

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

I am a leading adviser driving a critical strategic government objective to reform casino operations. In 2020 the WA government announced a Royal Commission into the Crown Perth Casino and the Department’s role as Casino regulator, following intense media coverage and the outcomes of the NSW Bergin Inquiry into the suitability of Crown to hold a casino license. I supported the State Solicitor’s Office in advising and representing the Department leading up and through the Royal Commission’s Inquiry. My current focus is to support the implementation of reforms.

Perth Area, Australia

With the State government’s focus on boosting standards of governance, transparency and accountability in local government, I established a proactive and responsive team, expertly positioned to contribute to the strategy, to the legal conversation and to provide the legal and policy support to enable the government to achieve its ambitious goals – all while managing structural transformation that accompanied changes of government and organisation direction. I provided high level legal advice to the Minister and the Director General, and aligned planning, people, and resources to deliver the Government’s legal and policy priorities.𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧• Spearheaded the team’s transformation and established a new central legal and legislative service team with significantly uplifted performance •Effectively supported the delivery of numerous challenging, complex, critical and sensitive government legislation, policy and initiatives, including:- The Local Government Act and regulation reforms - Advice on suspension of Councils and disciplinary matters under the Act - The Regional Community Child Care Development project – Royalty for Regions- Enabled establishment of community childcare partnerships in the regions - Review and development of local government and education and childcare legislation- Review of governance framework for the Local Government Grants Commission - Defended Supreme Court challenges to the Local Government Advisory Board and Ministerial decisions• Supported a sustainable future for local government in Perth – succeeding in a challenging time frame, to ensure that the Local Government Advisory Board was equipped with methodologies and governance frameworks to assess proposals and “bullet proof” their recommendations to the government to be capable of withstanding legal challenges• Represented the Department and WA on the Education and Care Regulatory subcommittee of the National Intergovernmental Education Council

Perth, Australia

I provided high level legal advice to the Director General and Senior Executive and led a team of legal, policy and administration staff to provide timely and quality litigation, legislative and advice services, while leading responses to significant and wide-reaching legislative reforms. WA’s 100-year-old Health Act was out of date. At least two previous review attempts had failed. Required was a legal policy person with a best practice public health approach to developing and implementing legislation.𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧• Initiated and delivered the review for “A New Public Health Act for Western Australia” in partnership with the Director of Environmental Health and championed by the Chief Health Officer • Transformed the legal team, leading through a period of significant upheaval, through the absence of a permanent Director of Legal Services and key staff shortages • Led and developed a high performing team capable of providing strong and strategic advice and support across a raft of sensitive issues and initiatives. These included:- The Food Act 2008 and Food Regulations 2009- Management of a highly publicised, sensitive, and politically contested Freedom of Information matter- Informed consent for a medical caesarean in Carnarvon- The release or non-release of Advanced Incident Management Systems forms in coronial investigations and in response to the litigation discovery process- Development and delivery of the Tobacco Products Amendment Regulations 2010 which implemented smoking restrictions in public areas and restrictions on tobacco sales• Effectively represented the Department on external committees – the COAG subcommittee advising on the development of national public health emergency legislation; the interdepartmental working group advising on the mandatory reporting of child sex abuse; and the State Pandemic Influenza Response Committee• Secured increased funding for the Public Health Law Development project

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Not for profit domestic and family violence service providing crisis and long-term support services to help break the domestic and family violence cycle. Contributed to board strategic planning and oversight of DVCS . • Provided improved oversight of the organisation’s financial affairs and ensured all board members were appropriately informed and understood the organisational and financial reports to the board.Provided improved oversight of the organisation’s financial affairs and ensured all board members were appropriately informed and understood the organisational and financial reports to the board.

Canberra, Australia

I led the legal services team to finalise the once-in-a-generation review of the ANZ Food Standards Code for sign-off by the Food Standards Ministerial Council. I also managed the Food Standards Advice Line. 𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧• Provided quality and timely in-house counsel on food standards and legislation development, led the provision of food standards legal advice, and delivered key initiatives - Management of Freedom of Information and privacy issues- Commercial agreements for FSANZ publications and other matters- Leading amendments to the FSANZ Act and Regulations to introduce efficiencies enabling cost recovery for the processing of applications- Development of new food standards including Infant Formula, Notification of Food Businesses and Food Safety Standards- Reform amendments to the Food Standards Australian New Zealand Act• Provided legal advice to the Commonwealth Minister for Health, the CEO and Bi-National Ministerial Council on the Commonwealth Intergovernmental Food Standards Agreement, the Trans-Tasman Treaty on Food Standards, administrative, constitutional and international law

Darwin, Australia

I represented clients from a range of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, including first nations people. Working in the constraints of the law in an extremely time sensitive environment to obtain restraining orders, I deployed a range of skills gained previously working on domestic violence policy and protocols for the Northern Territory Government.

Darwin, Australia

Darwin, Australia

Research, provision of advice across a range of areas - environmental health, women's health, aged and disability, adult guardianship, domestic violence, occupational health and workers compensation

Melbourne, Perth, Alice Springs, Darwin, Kununurra

Bachelor Of Laws

Completed degree at the Northern Territory University, now Charles Darwin University.

Bachelor Of Applied Science

Completed degree at Western Australian Institute of Technology, now Curtin University.

Graduate