Phoebe Knowles

Profile

Phoebe Knowles is a senior junior barrister at the Victorian Bar, practising in public law, administrative law and human rights. She appears regularly in the Federal Court, Fair Work Commission, Supreme Court of Victoria and VCAT, acting for Victorian Government departments, statutory regulators and private clients on judicial review, Charter of Human Rights Act compliance, discrimination, employment and freedom of information matters. She is briefed directly by government and almost always appears unled.

Ms Knowles has a substantial advisory practice for individuals and the Victorian Government on administrative law questions, including statutory interpretation, advising on executive decision-making and regulatory drafting. She has appeared in multiple complex Royal Commissions and major public inquiries, including the 2020 Hotel Quarantine Inquiry.

Her practice extends to regulatory work on behalf of the Labour Hire Authority, the Environment Protection Authority and the Fair Work Ombudsman, and she has acted for and against employers and unions in a wide range of discrimination and industrial proceedings. She is briefed in pro bono matters in housing and discrimination on an ongoing basis.

Significant Cases

Ms Knowles is, and has appeared, in several significant, important cases.

§  Fineff v Sportsbet & Ors (2026) (Federal Court, before Bromwich J), on behalf of gambler that stole to gamble, in relation to AML/CTF and trust breaches, seeking repayment of $4m to 21 victims. Appearing with G Watson KC and D O’Brien.

§  Hotel Quarantine Inquiry (2020) appearing for the Department of Health in 2020 (which heard 22 witnesses from DH over a number of weeks). 

§  A claim of sexual harassment by an advisor against two senior Commonwealth politicians (settled), under the Sex Discrimination Act (led by now Justice Craig Dowling) 

§  CFMEU ‘black ban’ proceedings (three related matters). Appearing for CFMEU and officials in related proceedings arising from the CFMEU’s alleged ‘black ban’ of Boral concrete, junior to Rachel Doyle SC in Boral’s Supreme Court proceeding (2013, which settled during trial), the ACCC’s competition proceeding (2016) (which was defended on a majority of locations), and for Shaun Reardon in a blackmail charge (2017) (to Neil Clelland KC), where the prosecution withdraw after our cross-examination of their key witness. 

§  Racial and disability discrimination cases, including for schools in Arora v Melton Christian College (Human Rights)  [2017] VCAT 1507; AB v Ballarat Christian College (Human Rights)  [2013] VCAT 1790

§  Haile-Michael v Konstantinidis & Ors, 2013 (resolved during trial). Federal Court claim brought by young men of African descent alleging racial profiling case by Victoria Police and its Chief Commissioner. Junior to Rapke QC for the applicants.  

§  Eatock v Andrew Bolt & News Ltd, [2011] FCA 1103 and [2011] FCA 1180. The ‘Andrew Bolt’ Case, junior counsel to Merkel QC, Borenstein SC and now Justice Harris for the applicants, it was a landmark racial discrimination trial.    

§  Environment East Gippsland Inc v VicForests [2010] VSC 335 & [2010] VSC 416. The ‘Brown mountain’ case, a seminal environmental case stopping logging of old growth forest on the presence of endangered species.  Junior counsel for EEG to now Mortimer CJ and Niall CJ successfully bringing environmental claim against VicForests. Related matter in Gunns Ltd v Burling & Ors Victorian Supreme Court, 2009. Junior Counsel to Burnside QC for defendant against claim in tort for interference with contractual relations. Settled.

Other cases

2026

§  IJ v Minister for Immigration (for the Minister, instructed by AGS, with Richard Knowles KC and Tamir Katz, settled)

§  Barony Power Corp v Deakin University (Federal Court, for BPC in relation to IP and contractual claims, settled)

§  Meletis v Meletis in the Supreme Court of Victoria (trust proceeding, settled)

§  FK Personnel v Department of Health, Disability and Aging (ART, proceeding 2025/5929), settled 

§  Advising Aboriginal plaintiff in relation to seeking judicial review of a Cultural Heritage Management Plan.

§  Merits advice on class actions relating to racial discrimination in provision of services. 

Royal Commissions

§  2026 Commonwealth Royal Commission into Antisemitism (for State of Victoria, specifically Corrections Victoria and Department of Education)

§  2026 Victorian Parliamentary Committee Bushfire Inquiry (for the State of Victoria)

§  2024 Victorian Parliamentary Committee Flood Inquiry (for the State of Victoria)

§  2022-2024 Yoorrook Justice Commission (for the State of Victoria, including the Treasurer, the Victorian Surveyor-General, the Minister for Health & others)

§  2023 Commonwealth Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicides (for State of Victoria)

§  2022 Commonwealth Royal Commission into Disability (for the Victorian Department of Health)

§  2020 Victoria’s Hotel Quarantine Inquiry for the Department of Health 

§  2020 Victoria’s Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants for Victoria Police

§  2019 Victoria’s Royal Commission into its Mental Health system, for the Department of Health 

§  2019 Commonwealth Royal Commission into Aged Care (for Victorian Department of Health)

Earlier Cases

§  Appearing for the Victorian Department of Health in nine compensation proceedings in relation to COVID-19 directions, including 

o  Blewett v Secretary, Department of Health (Review & Regulation)  [2024] VCAT 725

o  Asif v Secretary, Department of Health (Review & Regulation)  [2024] VCAT 719

o  Thompson v Secretary, Department of Health  [2024] VCAT 764

o  Grujic v Secretary Department of Health (Review & Regulation)  [2022] VCAT 1189

o  Wentworth v Secretary, Department of Health [2022] VCAT 1298, 

o  815 Truemans Cabin Hire Pty Ltd v The Secretary, Department of Health (Review and Regulation)  [2022] VCAT 1187

§  Sayed v Salvation Army Housing (No 2) [2023] FCA 1377, acting for respondent successfully seeking strike out, leave to appeal from decision below, [2023] FCA 526. 

§  Oliviera v Secretary to the Department of Health (Review and Regulation) [2023] VCAT 212 before her Honour Judge Marks

§  Guardianship matters for the state, including HYY (Guardianship)  [2022] VCAT 97 (for the Secretary, Department of Health)

§  Numerous freedom of information applications for Victorian agencies, such as Wooldridge v Department of Health and Human Services [2016] VCAT 1599, Knight v  Department of Justice (General)  [2012] VCAT 369 (with Peter Morrissey SC)

§  Durney v Victoria University [2014] VSC 161; [2013] VSC 280. Judicial review of University expulsion decision.

§  Ejueyisti v Deakin University [2013] FCA 1272; [2013] FCCA 1034. Appeared alone. Judicial review of University expulsion decision.

§  Julian Knight v Corrections Victoria; Department of Justice [2010] VSC 338 and [2011] VCAT 1708.  Successfully defended freedom of information application.

§  Environment East Gippsland Inc v VicForests [2010] VSC 335 & [2010] VSC 416.  Junior counsel for the applicant to now Mortimer CJ and Niall CJ successfully bringing environmental claim against state logging company for destruction of habitat.   

§  Islam v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2009] FCA 1526, Federal Court of Australia.  Junior Counsel to now Gray J for Minister defending judicial review application.

§  Alcock v Commonwealth of Australia [2009] FCA 1478 (constitutional law).

Pro bono practice

§  Ms Knowles continues to regularly appear in housing and discrimination matters on a pro bono basis

Prior criminal practice in white-collar crime

§  Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Pennicott, Victorian County Court jury trial, 2010. Junior counsel for accused charged with fraud.  

§  R v Zaydan Victorian County Court jury trial, 2009.  Junior counsel for accused charged with fraud. 

§  Contested criminal appeals, hearings, pleas, intervention orders and bail applications.

Read with now Peter Gray J (mentor) and Ron Merkel QC (senior mentor).

Committees

§  Law Council of Australia’s Access to Justice Committee (representing the Victorian Bar) 2026

§  Advisory Board to the Institute for International Law and Humanities at the Law School of the University of Melbourne (2020-present)

§  Victorian Bar New Barristers’ Standing Committee (elected representative) 2009-2014. 

§  Victorian Bar Indigenous Lawyers’ Committee 2010 (Secretary), 2011, 2012.

§  Liberty Victoria Board Member, 2010, 2011, 2012.

Professional Standards Scheme

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.