Giugni, Tony

Tony has broad experience in public law dispute resolution, ranging from smaller disputes in federal courts and tribunals (where he often acts in a counsel role) to senior solicitor roles in high-profile, large and complex litigation.

These matters have engaged Tony in a wide range of disputes, often involving complex investigations leading to examination by judicial or high-ranking executive officers of disputed factual matters in the most sensitive areas. He has recently acted in the Federal Court litigation involving the lawfulness of immigration detention, as well as maintaining a range of merits review in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Recent larger roles include leading the legal team representing the Commonwealth before the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements and acting as Solicitor Assisting the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, working closely with Commissioners and Senior Counsel Assisting to identify, and then investigate, case studies to be the subject of some 57 hearings. He appeared as junior counsel assisting in one such hearing, led by Gail Furness SC. More generally Tony has appeared as advocate in both interlocutory and final hearings, requiring him to lead and cross-examine both lay and expert witnesses.

Prior to his role with the Royal Commission, Tony was involved in 2 very large and complex cases: the ‘air cargo’ cases, being proceedings instituted by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) against various international airlines for price-fixing; and preparing Australia’s expert evidence as part of its defence to a claim for damages brought by a tobacco company in an international tribunal over Australia’s tobacco plain packaging laws.

Tony is currently leading the AGS team representing the Commonwealth in the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements.

Relevant experience

Tony’s relevant experience includes advising the Commonwealth on:

• a wide range of merits review in the Administrative Appeals and judicial review in the Federal Court and High Court
• applications to the Attorney-General for the referral of people smuggling convictions to a court of appeal
• civil penalty proceedings under the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005
• enforcement proceedings instituted by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
• an inquiry conducted by the Pharmaceutical Services Committee of Inquiry.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Laws, University of New England, 2007

Graduate Diploma in Education, University of New England, 2004

Bachelor of Arts, University of Sydney, 2003

Bachelor of Economics, University of Sydney, 1995

Recognition

2017 Secretary’s Award – for their contribution to the positive outcomes in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (team award).

2015 Australia Day Award – in recognition of outstanding work as Solicitor Assisting the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (individual award).

2014 Australia Day Award – in recognition of outstanding work on the air cargo matter (team award).

2013 Australia Day Award – in recognition of outstanding quality of work, commitment to service delivery and teamwork (tobacco plain packaging, team award).