Northern Territory Government

Chief Parliamentary Counsel - Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet

Where policy becomes law and precision matters | Darwin

The Northern Territory Government is seeking a Chief Parliamentary Counsel to lead the drafting of legislation that translates government policy into law.

In this role you will lead the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, delivering authoritative legislative drafting services and advising at the highest levels of government. Working closely with Ministers, Cabinet and senior executives, you will operate in an environment where clarity, judgement and timing are critical.

This is a role for a highly competent and proven senior legal professional with deep experience in managing a legislative drafting practice to deliver legislation that is strategic, contextual and often time-critical.

Explore the role

The Role:

As Chief Parliamentary Counsel, you will lead and have overall responsibility for a highly specialised legal function at the centre of government.

You will:

·Lead and advise on the drafting of Bills, regulations and legislative instruments that give effect to government priorities while managing the whole of government legislative program reform, often within tight and competing timeframes
Provide authoritative, strategic advice on legislative frameworks, statutory interpretation and the structure of legislation at the highest levels of government
Operate as a key strategic partner to Ministers, Cabinet and senior executives on complex, sensitive and often urgent matters
Lead and drive change within the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, ensuring best practice, innovation and reform to meet emerging government priorities and expectations
Provide strong workforce leadership, building capability, resilience and performance within a specialist and professional team operating in a high-demand environment
Set and uphold standards of excellence, ensuring legislative outputs are clear, effective, accessible and aligned with policy intent
Navigate complex, sensitive and often ambiguous matters, exercising sound judgement and delivering outcomes in situations where precedent may be limited
Build and maintain strategic relationships across government and nationally, representing the Northern Territory in cross-jurisdictional forums

The Person

This role requires more than technical excellence. It calls for an accomplished senior executive who combines deep technical expertise with sophisticated leadership capability.

You are an experienced legislative drafting professional with a deep understanding of public law and statutory interpretation, and a track record of operating in complex government environments.

You bring:

Extensive experience drafting primary and subordinate legislation within a parliamentary or government setting, including matters of high complexity, sensitivity and urgency
Demonstrated ability to lead in ambiguity, exercising sound judgment and delivering outcomes in complex and evolving environments
Proven leadership capability, with experience developing and guiding specialist legal teams, and managing a multidisciplinary legislative program
Strategic and change leadership capability, with experience shaping direction, influencing outcomes and evolving functions to meet shifting priorities
The ability to translate policy intent into clear, legally robust legislative frameworks
The credibility and communication skills to operate as a trusted adviser at senior levels of government
You understand the realities of the role: Competing priorities, tight timeframes and high expectations and, you operate with clarity, composure and precision.

Eligibility

Admission as a legal practitioner in an Australian jurisdiction, with eligibility to hold an unrestricted practising certificate.

A Message from the CEO of the Department of the Chief Minister & Cabinet

The Chief Parliamentary Counsel Officer is a critical senior leadership role at the centre of the Northern Territory’s legislative system. The role supports the delivery of the Government’s legislative agenda in a jurisdiction with a unique and diverse economy and lifestyle, while upholding the highest standards of professional independence, integrity and legislative quality.

The Territory is seeking a highly motivated and experienced senior executive leader who can operate confidently in a complex, busy and evolving reform environment, supporting Government’s key priorities of reducing crime, rebuilding the economy and improving the Territory’s lifestyle. The role requires a strong understanding of the Northern Territory operating context, including the practical challenges of legislating for diverse communities across the Territory across a multi-disciplinary public sector.

The Chief Parliamentary Counsel Officer must be able to work constructively with Ministers, central agencies and departments to deliver timely, high quality legislative outcomes that enable reform, while maintaining strict impartiality in the provision of advice. The role is fundamental in ensuring legislation is robust, fit for purpose and capable of supporting effective policy implementation across the Territory.

As head of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, the role also requires strong senior leadership capability. This includes leading and developing a specialist professional workforce, setting clear direction and standards, and managing competing priorities in a high demand environment. The successful candidate will demonstrate sound judgement, professional authority and credibility to guide the Office through periods of change and reform, while safeguarding the integrity of the legislative process.

Strong leadership, the ability to build trusted relationships across government, and confidence in balancing responsiveness to government with the independence essential to Parliamentary Counsel are key characteristics sought for this role.

- Luccio Cercarelli PSM

Why the Northern Territory

The Northern Territory offers a legislative environment that is both fast-moving and highly impactful.

You will work closer to decision-making than in larger jurisdictions, with direct exposure to Ministers and senior leaders, and the opportunity to see the full legislative lifecycle, from policy intent through to implementation.

For the right person, this is a rare opportunity to step into an influential and exciting legislative drafting environment, where your leadership makes a difference.