Lawyers Weekly, Momentum Media’s legal affairs brand, recently spoke with Commonwealth Attorney-General, Michelle Rowland MP, about the newly-legislated hate speech laws, Labor’s law reform agenda for 2026 and beyond, and more.
Commonwealth Attorney-General, Michelle Rowland MP with Lawyers Weekly managing editor Jerome Doraisamy
In a video interview, produced exclusively for members of Lawyers Weekly Premium, host Jerome Doraisamy probed A-G Rowland on a range of topics, from her early career as a lawyer, through to the myriad challenges facing Australian lawyers right now.
The A-G spoke about her driving motivations as a younger practitioner, her experience as attorney-general since May 2025, how she’s approached her new duties and whether she aspired to the position, how the new hate speech laws came about, and how she and her department attempted to strike the right balance in crafting the legislation.
She also delved into the establishment of the new anti-Semitism royal commission, the Albanese government’s law reform agenda for 2026 and beyond, the new Legal Services Direction that her department issued, what she sees as the headline challenges and concerns for legal practitioners this year, and her advice to lawyers across the country about optimal client service delivery.
Reflecting on the interview, Lawyers Weekly managing editor Jerome Doraisamy said that it was not just a wonderful opportunity for the brand to secure such access to the nation’s first legal officer, but also a welcome insight into her background as a lawyer, her views on best practice for those in the profession, and how she manages her high-ranking ministerial portfolio.
“This was a hugely important conversation for lawyers across the country. To hear Attorney-General Rowland’s insights into the consultation, crafting, and negotiating that led to the newly-enacted hate speech laws – in the wake of the worst terrorist attack we have experienced on Australian soil – was hugely informative,” he said.
“Moreover, we were fortunate to learn more about the Albanese government’s law reform agenda for this year and leading up until the next federal election – an agenda which, no doubt, will shape how lawyers and non-lawyers alike view the professional, economic, and sociopolitical landscape.”
“We are very grateful to A-G Rowland for speaking so candidly with Lawyers Weekly, and we look forward to collaborating further with her in the future,” Doraisamy concluded.
To view the full interview with Attorney-General Michelle Rowland, click here.