Peter Woulfe has a civil practice in a range of practice areas, with a particular focus on government and administrative law. Peter is one of Australia’s leading Commonwealth compensation barristers, having worked on various matters of importance to the application of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth) including matters in the High Court of Australia.
Recent achievements
- Peter led the Law Council of Australia’s Federal Administrative Law Reform Working Group in responding to the Commonwealth’s Administrative Review Reform: Issues Paper. He led a team of leading administrative lawyers from the Law Council and its constituent bodies to develop a comprehensive submission to the Commonwealth for the purpose of replacing the Administrative Appeals Tribunal with a new body. Peter also appeared before the Commonwealth’s Expert Advisory Group, chaired by the Hon Patrick Keane AC KC, and advanced the Law Council’s law reform position as set out in its submission.
- Peter led the Law Council’s liaison with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. He effectively and efficiently managed stakeholder engagement, contributing to the Tribunal’s various COVID-19 special measures practice directions.
- Peter led the Law Council’s response to the Callinan Review of the Tribunals Amalgamation Act 2015 (Cth). That included coordinating industry leaders at a specially convened forum in Sydney on 29 October 2019, the results of which were shared with the Attorney-General’s Department and other significant stakeholders.
- Peter has liaised closely with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal since 2010 in bringing the twice annual Hot Topics in Commonwealth Compensation seminar, attended by numerous industry leaders and practitioners.
Appointments
- Chair, Federal Litigation and Dispute Resolution Section, Law Council of Australia, 2020-present
- Deputy Chair, Federal Litigation and Dispute Resolution Section, Law Council of Australia, 2016-2020
- Treasurer, Federal Litigation and Dispute Resolution Section, Law Council of Australia, 2014-2016
- Executive Member, Federal Litigation and Dispute Resolution Section, Law Council of Australia, 2010-present
- Chair, Administrative Appeals Tribunal Liaison Committee, Law Council of Australia, 2016-present
- Chair, Commonwealth Compensation and Employment Law Committee, Law Council of Australia, 2010-present
- Secretary, Council of the ACT Bar Association, 2018-2021
- Treasurer, Council of the ACT Bar Association, 2017-2018
- Councillor, Council of the ACT Bar Association, 2014-2017
- Member, Australian Institute of Administrative Law, 2011-present
- Member, Editorial Board, AIAL Forum, 2016-present
- Member, ACT Independent Cricket Tribunal, 2011-present
- Councillor, Council of the Law Society of the ACT, 2004-2005
Called to the Bar
2012
Master of Laws (ANU)
2006
Bachelor of Laws
2000
Bachelor of Social Science
1998
Phone
02 6130 0573
woulfe@blackburnchambers.com.au
Practice areas
Appellate
Commercial law
Common law / Personal injury
Employment law
Equity and trusts
Inquests and inquiries
Public / Administrative law
Cases
- Prosegur Australia Pty Ltd v Higgerson [2024] FCA 203 (unled against senior counsel)
- Pacific National Services Pty Ltd v Tsoumbris [2024] FCA 324
- Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission v May(2016) 257 CLR 468
- Hickey v Australian Postal Corporation [2023] FCA 57
- Comcare v Drinkwater(2018) 260 FCR 150
- Comcare v Wuth(2018) 260 FCR 89
- Smith v Comcare(2015) 65 AAR 288 (unled against senior counsel)
- Portors v Comcare[2018] FCA 914
- Novosel v Comcare(2017) 72 AAR 269 (unled against senior counsel)
- Bis Industries Ltd v Dale(2017) 156 ALD 169
- Ringshaug v Comcare(No 2) [2017] FCA 349 (unled against senior counsel)
- Chun v Comcare(2013) 209 FCR 399
- National Disability Insurance Agency v Attorney-General for ACT[2020] ACTSC 52 (unled against senior counsel)
- Hill v Council of Law Society of ACT[2019] ACTSC 79
- Re Russell and Australian Postal Corporation (Compensation) [2022] AATA 3227
- Re Pearson and Prosegur Australia Pty Ltd [2021] AATA 312
- Re Uijland and Comcare(2019) 164 ALD 573
- Re Brideson and ACT(2019) 156 ALD 197
Publications
• Hot Topics in Commonwealth Compensation panel discussion with Deputy President Humphries and Dr Khurana (neurosurgeon), Going behind the concurrent evidence curtain, 2019
• BenchTV, Statutory construction in workers compensation claims, 2018
• Bar Bulletin, ACT Bar Association publication
– February 2014, at 10 – Heffernan v Comcare [2014] FCAFC 2: is an automobile medical treatment?
– Nov/Dec 2013, at 16 – Comcare v PVYW [2013] HCA 41.
– May 2013, at 9 – High Court to review workers’ compensation employment test.
• ACT Bar CPD Conference
– 2013, Concurrent Evidence, presentation with the President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (Kerr J).
– 2014, Special Leave Applications in the High Court of Australia.