Dr Michael Taylor is a Barrister practising in public law, with specialist expertise in health law and therapeutic goods regulation. Dr Taylor’s broader areas of interest in public and administrative law include use of executive powers, public sector integrity, statutory interpretation and legislative drafting. Dr Taylor is also available to advise on (or act as junior counsel in) matters involving complex health-related issues and/or evidence.
Dr Taylor welcomes both appearance and paperwork briefs, and also accepts direct access briefs from government and commercial clients.
Public and administrative law
In addition to merits and judicial review, Dr Taylor’s practice in public and administrative law includes experience in:
Dr Taylor is recognised in Doyle’s Guide for Leading Administrative & Public Law Barristers – Victoria 2023.
Health law and therapeutic goods regulation
Dr Taylor’s expertise is built on dual qualification as a legal practitioner (Barrister) and health practitioner (Pharmacist). In addition to his undergraduate (LLB(Hons)) and postgraduate (GDLP) qualifications in law, Dr Taylor also holds degrees in pharmacy (BPharm(Hons)) and biotechnology (MSc), as well as a doctorate (PhD) from the School of Philosophy and Bioethics, Monash University. Dr Taylor previously worked as an academic specialising in health policy and regulation and public health law.
Specific expertise in health law includes:
Previous professional experience
Before coming to the Bar, Dr Taylor was Senior Regulatory Policy Adviser in the Health Protection Branch of the Department of Health & Human Services. Dr Taylor provided advice regarding public health legislation to the Chief Health Officer and Health Protection Branch, particularly around the Sunset Review of the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2009 and the development of replacement regulations, the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019.
Previously, Dr Taylor was an Editor with the Cochrane Collaboration’s Consumer and Communication Review Group and was an Associate Editor (Health Policy) for Social Science + Medicine. Dr Taylor’s academic research has been published in numerous Australian and international peer-reviewed journals, including the Medical Journal of Australia, Australian Health Review, Health Research Policy & Systems, the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology and the Journal of Rheumatology (see “extended biography” for more details).
Peer reviewed publications
B Merner, S Hill and M Taylor (2019), “‘I’m trying to stop things before they happen’: Carers’ contributions to patient safety in the hospital setting.” Qualitative Health Research, 29(10): 1508–1518. [doi: 10.1177/1049732319841021].
A Logan, E Yule, M Taylor and C lmms (2018), “Mental health consumer participation in undergraduate occupational therapy student assessment: No negative impact.” Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 65(6): 494–502 [doi: 10.1111/1440-1630.12484].
D Lowe, M Taylor and S Hill (2017), “Cross-sectional examination of musculoskeletal conditions and multimorbidity: influence of different thresholds and definitions on prevalence and association estimates.” BMC Research Notes, 10: 51 [doi: 10.1186/s13104-017-2376-4].
D Lowe, M Taylor and S Hill (2017), “Associations between multimorbidity and additional burden for working-age adults with specific forms of musculoskeletal conditions: a cross-sectional study.” BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 18: 135 [doi: 10.1186/s12891-017-1496-2].
L Walsh, S Hill, AE Wluka, P Brooks, R Buchbinder, A Cahill, LF Dans, D Lowe, M Taylor and P Tugwell (2016), “Harnessing and supporting consumer involvement in the development and implementation of Models of Care for musculoskeletal health,” Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 30: 420–444 [doi: 10.1016/j.berh.2016.09.004].
H Colquhoun, D Lowe, E Helis, D Belanger, B Ens, S Hill, A Mayhew, M Taylor and J Grimshaw (2016), “Evaluation of a training program for medicines-oriented policymakers to use a database of systematic reviews.” Health Research Policy & Systems, 14: 70 [doi: 10.1186/s12961-016-0140-1].
D Lowe, M Taylor and S Hill (2016), “Changing definitions altered multimorbidity prevalence, but not burden associations, in a musculoskeletal population.” Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 78: 116–126 [doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2016.03.016].
H Colquhoun, E Helis, D Lowe, D Belanger, S Hill, A Mayhew, M Taylor and J Grimshaw (2016), “Development of training for medicines-oriented policymakers to apply evidence.” Health Research Policy & Systems, 14: 57 [doi: 10.1186/s12961-016-0130-3].
D Lowe, M Taylor and S Hill (2015), “Communication vulnerabilities in working-age Australians with musculoskeletal conditions: A cross-sectional analysis.” Journal of Rheumatology, 42(8): 1484–93 [doi: 10.3899/jrheum.140989].
D Edvardsson, K Sjögren, M Lindkvist, M Taylor, K Edvardsson and PO Sandman (2015), “Person-centred climate questionnaire (PCQ-S): Establishing reliability and cut-off scores in residential aged care.” Journal of Nursing Management, 23(3): 315–323 [doi: 10.1111/jonm.12132].
R Ryan, N Santesso, D Lowe, S Hill, J Grimshaw, M Prictor, C Kaufman, G Cowie and M Taylor (2014), “Interventions to improve safe and effective medicines use by consumers: an overview of systematic reviews.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014(4): CD007768 [doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007768.pub3].
M Taylor (2014), “Re-aligning Medicare: post-MBS reform GP consultation delivery rates.” Medical Journal of Australia, 200(3): 151–2 [doi: 10.5694/mja13.11004].
A Synnot, S Hill, M Summers and M Taylor (2014), “Comparing face-to-face and online qualitative research with people with multiple sclerosis.” Qualitative Health Research, 24(3): 431–8 [doi: 10.1177/1049732314523840].
M Taylor, D Horey, C Livingstone, SP Chan and H Swerissen (2013), “General practitioners and consultation drift: the effects of supply-side changes and reforms on service delivery patterns.” Australian Health Review, 37: 574–8 [doi: 10.1071/AH12160].
H Swerissen and M Taylor (2013), “Public health for an ageing society.” In: R Nay, S Garratt and D Fethershaugh, Older People: Issues and Innovations in Care [4ed], Elsevier, Sydney (pp. 15–34).
M Taylor, D Edvardsson, D Horey, D Fetherstonhaugh, R Nay and H Swerissen (2013), “General practitioner consultation provision pattern in residential aged care facilities: 1998–2011.” Australasian Journal on Ageing, 32: 56–9 [doi: 10.1111/j.1741-6612.2012.00647.x].
M Taylor (2012), “Regulatory influences on general practitioner service delivery in residential aged care.” Australasian Journal on Ageing, 31: 128–9 [doi: 10.1111/j.1741-6612.2012.00612.x].
R Ryan, S Hill, D Lowe, K Allen, M Taylor and C Mead (2011), “Notification and support for people exposed to the risk of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) through medical treatment.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2011(3): CD007578 [doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007578.pub2].
M Taylor, D Horey, C Livingstone and H Swerissen (2010), “Decline with a capital D: Long-term changes in GP consultation patterns across Australia.” Medical Journal of Australia, 193: 80–83 [doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2010.tb03804.x].
M Taylor and H Swerissen (2010), “Medicare and chronic disease management: Integrated care as an exceptional circumstance?” Australian Health Review, 34: 152–161 [doi: 10.1071/AH09810].
H Swerissen and M Taylor (2008), “Reforming funding for chronic illness: Medicare CDM.” Australian Health Review, 32: 76–84 [doi: 10.1071/AH080076].