School of Business and Law

17 November 2021 - Supporting the energy transition: the way forward for legal, policy and ethical challenges

17 November 2021 - Supporting the energy transition: the way forward for legal, policy and ethical challenges

Globally, energy systems are experiencing unprecedented change due to falling costs of renewable energy and growing investor interest in renewable energy. This shift is further encouraged by consumer activism around decarbonisation. WA has seen a boom of rooftop solar panels – doubling since 2017.

This growth and innovation in clean energy bring both exciting opportunities and technical challenges. How can we maximise the number of renewables on our power grids whilst maintaining affordable power bills and reliable power systems? What barriers do current laws, policies, and ethical considerations present, and how can we overcome them?

When:    Wednesday, 17 November 2021

Where:   Fraser Suites

Time:      5:00pm – 8:00pm

This forum will feature the following presenters;

The Honourable Robert French AC, Chancellor, University of Western Australia

The Honourable Robert French was appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia in September 2008 and he retired from office in January 2017. He was appointed a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia in November 1986, an office he held until his appointment as Chief Justice in September 2008. From 1994 to 1998 he was the President of the National Native Title Tribunal. He was elected as Chancellor of the University of Western Australia in

December 2017. Mr French was the inaugural Chancellor of ECU, serving for six years from 1 January 1991 to 31 December 1996

Katharine McKenzie, Lawyer and Managing Director, Macht Consulting

Katharine is a Lawyer and Policy Specialist and former senior associate at Jackson McDonald. From 2017 – 2021 Katharine was the principal policy advisor to the respective ministers for energy, she has served as a council member of the Renewable Hydrogen Council and was a member of the Energy Transformation Taskforce. Katharine has been a member of the board of the Australian Institute of Energy for 7 years and is presently the Principal Project Developer for the Australian Industry Energy Transitions Initiative. From March 2021 she has been Managing Director of Macht Consulting, providing strategic advice on decarbonisation opportunities.

Jessica Shaw MLA, Member for Swan Hills, Australian Labor Party

Jessica Shaw is the Member for Swan Hills in the WA Legislative Assembly and Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Culture and the Arts and Heritage. Jessica’s policy interests centre on economic diversification and growth, sustainable development, and trade. She has chaired the Parliament’s Economics and Industry Standing Committee, leading major inquiries into the energy sector, trade with India, aviation, and other aspects of the tourism industry.

Before entering Parliament, Jessica was a commercial executive in the energy industry for over a decade and enjoyed a prior career in foreign affairs and trade. She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Energy.

Mathew Bowen, Partner, Jackson McDonald

Matthew is a partner at Jackson McDonald Lawyers, with over 27 years’ experience practicing in energy and regulatory law. Matthew’s team’s involvement ranges from helping create a new electricity regime for the Pilbara, hybrid gas-wind-solar-battery solutions on remote mine sites, new renewable energy solutions for commercial and residential consumers, and the development of a commercial scale renewable hydrogen project. Matthew sits on the Hon Alannah MacTiernan’s State Renewable Hydrogen Taskforce.

Prafula Pearce, Associate Professor, Edith Cowan University

Prafula is an Associate Professor in the School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University. Her qualifications in both law and accounting brings unique perspective on commercial, legal and taxation issues. Prafula is a fellow of CPA Australia, the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants in England and Wales. She was the Academic Discipline Lead and the Deputy Dean of Curtin Law School, prior to joining ECU. She has worked in large commercial organisations such as Cadbury Schweppes London, Bond Corporation and Deloitte in Perth.