In this episode we are joined by Joseph Catanzariti AM — former Vice President of the Fair Work Commission, long‑time workplace relations leader, mediator and current Chair of the College of Law — for a wide‑ranging conversation about law, work and social change in Australia and New Zealand.

We start with Joseph’s personal story from his immigrant family background and upbringing in Bondi Junction, through his pathway into law and his long career at the intersection of industrial relations and employment law, including his time as a senior partner at Clayton Utz and eleven years at the Fair Work Commission.

The discussion covers practical dispute‑resolution themes (mediation versus adjudication), the value of early triage, and the benefits of an inquisitorial approach in workplace disputes. Joseph explains why employment law matters, how anti‑bullying and discrimination jurisdictions work, and why timely, empathetic processes and remedies are essential to restore working relationships.

We also explore professional culture: the role of mentoring and championing young lawyers, how firms should value education and pastoral leadership, and the ongoing challenge of bullying and bystander behaviour within the legal profession and other workplaces.

The topic of legal education and reform is covered including the College of Law’s priorities, ESG and the oft‑neglected social element of governance — and the practical and ethical implications of AI for legal practice, assessment and training.

This episode contains some candid examples, practical tips for advocates and mediators, reflections on fairness and social justice, and key takeaways for lawyers, managers and anyone interested in how law shapes modern workplaces Down Under.

In this episode of the Law Down Under Podcast, I am joined by Jessica Palairet, Executive Director of Lawyers for Climate Action NZ (LCANZI), and featured author in the upcoming book on climate solutions by Kiwis in Climate. Since its founding in 2019, LCANZI has rapidly grown to nearly 400 members and has become a leading force in using the law to drive effective climate action. Under Jessica’s leadership, LCANZI has brought significant legal challenges—including headline cases against the New Zealand Government's emission targets and reduction plans—aimed at holding both the government and private sector accountable under the Climate Change Response Act.

Jessica’s extensive legal background spans international climate change litigation, human rights law, and advocacy for legal education, aligning with sustainability goals. In this episode, Jessica shares her unique insights into the critical and evolving role of lawyers in climate solutions, the impact of climate litigation in New Zealand and globally, and her perspectives from the forthcoming book on actionable climate solutions for Aotearoa.

On today’s episode of the Law Down Under Podcast, we are joined by Susan Barker.

Sue Barker is the director of Sue Barker Charities Law, an award-winning boutique law firm in Wellington specialising in charities law and public tax law, which she founded in 2012. Sue is internationally recognised as a Charity Law scholar and is a director of the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand.

Sue is the author of the recently published (May 2025) Taxation of Charities in Aotearoa New Zealand and one of the co-authors, The Law and Practice of Charities in Aotearoa New Zealand, now in its second edition and published in 2024. In 2019, she was awarded the New Zealand Law Foundation International Research Fellowship Te Karahipi Rangahau ā Taiao, New Zealand’s premier legal research award, for her project “What does a world-leading framework of charities law look like?” Her landmark report, Focus on purpose, released in April 2022, made 70 recommendations for charities law reform in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Sue’s expertise is regularly sought by the media and charities of all shapes, sizes and missions. She is a member of Charities Services’ Sector Group and the Core Reference Group for the Government’s review of the Charities Act 2005. She has played a leading role in advocating for an independent, first-principles review of the Charities Act, and her work is widely cited in sector reform discussions.

We spoke with Sue about her career and discussed all things about charity law, including its future in New Zealand.