Publications & Media

Melanie has published and presented extensively on sexual harassment, discrimination, equality and access to justice, and is regularly invited to contribute to professional, academic and public discussions about law reform and the prevention of workplace sexual harassment.

Selected Publications

Melanie has published on sexual harassment, discrimination, human rights, equality and access to justice.

Power to Prevent—the Impact of Collective Advocacy on Sexual Harassment Law Reform in Australia
Australian Journal of Human Rights 31(3) (2026) 311–334 (peer reviewed).
Examines the creation and impact of the Power to Prevent coalition and the role of collective advocacy in achieving national reforms to prevent and address workplace sexual harassment.

A Seismic Shift: The Changing Landscape of Legal Protections Against Sexual Harassment
with Sally Latter, Jen Lynch and Rachel Athaide, Precedent 173 (2022) 4–9.
Examines major reforms to Australian sexual harassment laws following the Respect@Work inquiry and developments in work health and safety regulation.

Summary Review of Interventions to Prevent and Respond to Sexual Harassment in Courts
Review of Sexual Harassment in Victorian Courts, Appendix 1 (2021)
A detailed evidence review of interventions to prevent and respond to sexual harassment in courts and workplaces, prepared for the Victorian courts review.

Employers Have Been Put on Notice—Sexual Harassment is an Occupational Hazard
The Guardian (July 2020)
Argues for a stronger prevention-focused response to workplace sexual harassment through occupational health and safety regulation.

Preventing Sexual Harassment in Work: Exploring the Promise of Work Health and Safety Laws
with Belinda Smith and Liam Elphick, Australian Journal of Labour Law 32(2) (2019) 219 (peer reviewed).
Explores how work health and safety laws can complement discrimination law by shifting the focus from individual complaints towards prevention of workplace sexual harassment.

One Size Fits All: The Obligation of Public Authorities to Consider Human Rights under the Victorian Charter
Australian Journal of Administrative Law 19(1) (2011) 17–30 (peer reviewed).
Examines the obligation of Victorian public authorities to give proper consideration to human rights under the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic).

Men-Only Clubs: Entitled to Discriminate?
Australian Journal of Human Rights 16(1) (2010) 105–136 (peer reviewed).
Examines legal exemptions permitting discrimination by single-sex clubs and their implications for substantive gender equality.

Anti-Discrimination Laws that Discriminate
with Rachel Ball, ABC (December 2009)
Examines exemptions from Victorian anti-discrimination law permitting men-only clubs to discriminate.

Think Global, Act Local
with Rachel Ball, Law Institute Journal 83 (Jan/Feb 2009) 46
Considers the relationship between international human rights law and Australian law. The linked Human Rights Law Resource Centre submission reproduces and cites material from the article.

Selected Conference Presentations

Melanie presents on sexual harassment, discrimination law, access to justice, strategic litigation and law reform in Australia and internationally.

Systemic Remedies in Sexual Harassment Cases
with Casi Martin, Small Steps, Safer Workplaces: Sexual Harassment Conference, Hobart, November 2025.

Towards Strategic Litigation—How the Private Profession Can Support the Legal Assistance Sector
Facilitator, Pro Bono Panel, Small Steps, Safer Workplaces: Sexual Harassment Conference, Hobart, November 2025.

When Change Happens—Reflections on Sexual Harassment Law Reform
with Emma Golledge and Katherine McKernan, Community Legal Centres Australia National Conference, Canberra, September 2025. The session reflected on the Power to Prevent advocacy campaign and the campaign for an Equal Access costs model for discrimination and sexual harassment proceedings.

Power to Prevent: Sexual Harassment Law Reform in Australia and the Impact of Collective Advocacy
Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality & Anti-Discrimination Law 12th Annual Conference, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, July 2025.

Dispute Processing, Coalition Building and Legal Development 

International Access to Justice Forum, University of California, Irvine, USA, October 2023. Presented as part of a panel, sharing reflections on coalition building and the Power to Prevent coalition.

Selected Media

Melanie has contributed expert commentary on sexual harassment, discrimination and equality law to national media.

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