Sal joined the Parliamentary, Planning and Public Law team at Winckworth Sherwood in 2026. She qualified and began her career in New Zealand and more recently practised in Australia.

Sal has a broad advisory practice, having advised clients on issues such as the interpretation of planning controls and the consenting of major infrastructure projects, the interpretation of consent conditions, land use and enforcement issues, and the interpretation of statutory powers and obligations.

Recent experience

• Acting for the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (a State Department in Victoria, Australia) at an Independent Advisory Committee hearing regarding the Western Renewables Link (a new 200km transmission line proposed to connect Renewable Energy Zones to metropolitan Melbourne).
• Acting for local authorities, promoters and objectors in planning disputes. The disputes related to planning proposals for the development of a hospital, industrial storage facilities and a large mixed-use development.
• Acting for a promoter (a large tourist operation in Victoria, Australia) in various interrelated planning disputes, including appearing as an advocate at procedural hearings, providing strategic advice in relation to the interpretation of planning permits, and advising on the settlement of the proceedings, which included a complex set of agreements between multiple parties.
• Appearing on behalf of various private clients in hearings regarding proposed future planning controls, including in relation to industrial land supply and industrial land buffers.
• Advising local authorities regarding various matters, including the scope of a statutory indemnity for elected members, the content and scope of delegations registers, the application of statutory principles of consultation, and responsibilities to respond to requests for official information.