New Commissioners at the VLRC

The Victorian Law Reform Commission is delighted to announce the appointment of five distinguished justice sector leaders as new Commissioners, marking a much-anticipated milestone for the Commission:

• Kate Bundrock – Executive Director of Criminal Law at Victoria Legal Aid. Kate has over 20 years’ experience working in the legal assistance sector and criminal legal system. Kate is committed to access to justice and has led significant service transformation projects at VLA.
• Abbey Hogan – Solicitor for Public Prosecutions (CEO) at the Office of Public Prosecutions. Abbey leads organisational strategy, legal service delivery, and justice sector engagement at the OPP. She has extensive experience in criminal law, public administration and system reform.
• Belinda Lo – Director Legal Services and Principal Lawyer, Eastern Community Legal Centre. Belinda has over 25 years’ experience in the legal assistance sector, primarily advocating for the rights of victim survivors of interpersonal violence across law reform, legal representation and strategic policy and service sector reform.
• Johanna Metcalf – Johanna sits as a Reserve Magistrate in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria. Previously Director of Court Services and other senior roles within the Department of Justice. The foundation CEO of the Sentencing Advisory Council. 
• His Honour Mark Taft – Former Judge of the County Court of Victoria (2008-2020). Previously a barrister with 20 years experience in criminal law, appointed Senior Counsel in 2006 and former Vice President of the Criminal Bar Association.

We are also pleased to announce the re-appointment for another term of greatly valued Commissioners, the Hon. Jennifer Coate AO and Dan Nicholson.

The Chair and staff look forward to being guided by the insights and experience of the new Commissioner group as we undertake an important and full program of work for the year ahead.