Susan Hedge

Susan was called to the bar in 2013 and practices primarily in planning and environment, public, administrative, regulatory and criminal law and commissions and inquests.

She has appeared alone and as junior counsel in trials before juries, judges and Magistrates and other hearings in the Supreme, District, Planning & Environment and Magistrates Courts and appeals in the Court of Appeal and High Court.  She has appeared in high profile matters, including as junior counsel to Saul Holt KC in MDP v The King (2025) 99 ALJR 969 and to Walter Sofronoff KC in the High Court in The Queen v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 308, and in various planning and environment matters including Aesthete No. 15 Pty Ltd v Council of the City of the Gold Coast & Anor [2025] QPEC 18 and Ramsay Health Care Australia Pty Ltd v Brisbane City Council & Anor [2024] QPEC 49 (led by Ben Job KC).

Susan has substantial experience in commissions of inquiry. In 2022, Susan acted as Counsel
Assisting Walter Sofronoff KC at the Commission of Inquiry into Forensic DNA Testing in
Queensland. She was also Counsel Assisting to former P&E Court Judge Richard Jones in his
independent review of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld). She was a senior solicitor at the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry in 2011-2012.
 
Susan was a Crown Prosecutor and Senior Crown Prosecutor at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for eight years, prosecuting serious and complex criminal offences. She now appears for both prosecution and defence, with a particular focus on criminal appeals.

Prior to being called to the bar, Susan was a solicitor at Mallesons Stephen Jaques, and was Associate to the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Margaret McMurdo AC. Susan has a Bachelor of Laws with a University Medal from QUT, a Bachelor of Applied Science (Mathematics) and a Bachelor of Civil Law from the University of Oxford. 

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Recent / significant cases include:

 

Planning & Environment

• The Body Corporate for 62 Pacific Community Titles Scheme 45586 & Anor v Council of the City of Gold Coast & Anor; Sexton v Council of the City of Gold Coast & Anor [2025] QPEC 13, appearing unled

• Aesthete No. 15 Pty Ltd v Council of the City of the Gold Coast & Anor [2025] QPEC 18, appearing unled

• Cordwell Resources Pty Ltd v Noosa Shire Council [2024] QPEC 51, led by Mitchel Batty KC

• Ramsay Health Care Australia Pty Ltd v Brisbane City Council & Anor [2024] QPEC 49, led by Ben Job KC

• QCoal Pty Ltd & Anor v Isaac Regional Council [2022] QCA 237, led by Mitchel Batty

• Baxter v Preston & Ors [2022] QCA 146, led by Mitchel Batty

• Drivas v Brisbane City Council & Anor [2021] QPEC 68, led by Mitchel Batty.

• DVB Projects Pty Ltd v Council of the City of Gold Coast [2022] QPEC 40, led by Mitchel Batty

 

Criminal

• MDP v The King (2025) 99 ALJR 969, led by Saul Holt KC

• R v Stringer [2025] QCA 81, appearing unled

• R v Ferns [2024] QCA 262, appearing unled

• R v James [2024] QCA 142

• R v McNamara [2022] QCA 73, appearing unled

• R v Dimitropoulos [2020] QCA 75; (2020) 282 A Crim R 402

• Ross v Commissioner of Police [2019] QCA 96; (2019) 278 A Crim R 159

• The Queen v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 308, led by Walter Sofronoff KC

 

Articles / presentations

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How Brawn v The King and MDP v The King Changed the Law on the Common Form Appeal Provisions, Hearsay, Bar Association of Queensland, September 2025

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Criminal Law: Case Update, Queensland Law Society Conference on Criminal, Family and Domestic Violence Law, September 2025

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Planning and Environment Court Update, Queensland Environmental Law Association, June 2024

Prosecutions in the Magistrates Court, Queensland Environmental Law Association, March 2022