New Counsel Assisting appointments
7 November 2025
The Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and Misconduct in the Construction Industry has recently appointed several additional Counsel Assisting to support the inquiry.
Patrick Wheelahan KC
Patrick Wheelahan KC's practice covers a wide range of areas and includes a specialisation in employment and industrial law (particularly in the construction industry, electricity and retail industry). Mr Wheelahan has appeared in the High Court of Australia, the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Federal Court of Australia, the Fair Work Commission and other commissions of inquiry, including before the Australian Olympic Committee and Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board. Mr Wheelahan's professional legal experience is broad, having been an Associate to Justice Ryan, Federal Court of Australia in 1996, a Solicitor (and Snr Associate) for four-and-a-half years specialising in industrial and employment law litigation, and having been appointed silk in 2020.
Mark Costello KC
Mark Costello KC practises in all areas of commercial litigation as well as constitutional and administrative law. Mr Costello has appeared in courts in all states and before various arbitral tribunals. He has also appeared in various commissions and inquiries, including the Financial Services Royal Commission, where he was one of the Counsel Assisting the Hon Kenneth Hayne AC KC. He completed his undergraduate studies (LLB) at Queensland University of Technology and postgraduate studies (LLM) at Australian National University.
Daniel Caruana
Daniel Caruana was called to the Queensland Bar in 2015. He has practiced predominantly in criminal and regulatory law, with a particular interest in Commonwealth prosecutions and Work Health Safety matters. Mr Caruana has appeared both as a prosecutor and defence counsel in many matters involving serious organised crime, including money laundering matters and white-collar crime prosecutions.
Alastair Smith
Alastair Smith is a Brisbane-based specialist in regulatory law. He has a particular focus on industrial and workplace safety matters. In industrial matters, Mr Smith conducts civil penalty cases under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), including those where urgent injunctive relief is to be sought. He is regularly briefed to defend complex work health and safety prosecutions across all industries, including construction, mining and petroleum and gas. Mr Smith is admitted in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia.
Sophie Harburg
Sophie Harburg is a barrister at the Queensland Bar. Her practice is predominantly in criminal and regulatory law. She appears for both the prosecution and defence in trials and appeals at all levels of Courts. She has prosecuted both Commonwealth and State offences briefed by a wide variety of government agencies and regulators, and has advised and appeared on behalf of corporations ranging from some of Australia’s largest publicly listed and privately owned companies to small businesses and individuals.
Madeleine Stone
Madeleine Stone has a broad civil practice but maintains a particular interest in employment and industrial relations. Since her call to the Bar in 2022, Ms Stone has advised and appeared in various matters, including those related to whistleblower complaints, general protections, sexual harassment, restraints of trade, contractual disputes, partnership and shareholder disputes, directors’ duties, and administrative decision making. In her early career, Ms Stone was an associate in the Federal Court of Australia and the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. She is a member of the Bar Association of Queensland’s Industrial Law Committee.
Commissioner Stuart Wood AM KC welcomed the appointments, saying: “Each of these barristers brings valuable experience to the role of Counsel Assisting. These appointments will assist the Commission in progressing its work under the Terms of Reference.”
ENDS
Media enquiries: media@cfmeuinquiry.qld.gov.au