Code Compliance Committee Members
The Code Compliance Committee is an independent body established under the Online Safety Code for Dating Services. Comprising three independent members with expertise in law, public policy or online safety, and large-scale technology platforms, the Committee is responsible for resolving complaints regarding alleged breaches of the Code by industry participants. Where necessary, it also revises the self-assessed compliance ratings of dating services, ensuring that these ratings reflect adherence to the Code’s standards. The Committee operates under terms of reference and guidelines, meeting to review complaints, and, where appropriate, impose sanctions on non-compliant signatories. The Committee plays an important role in maintaining transparency and accountability within the industry by ensuring relevant outcomes and sanctions are communicated.
Zoe Hawkins
Zoe Jay Hawkins is Co-Founder and Deputy Executive Director of the Tech Policy Design Institute; Australia's first independent think tank dedicated to tech policy, with the mission of shaping technology for the benefit of humanity.
Zoe is an online safety policy expert, with experience shaping major policy initiatives from government, industry, and civil society perspectives. As Adviser to Australia's Minister for Communications, Zoe oversaw the development of the Online Safety Act 2021. Her time working on tech diplomacy at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade involved articulating, and advocating internationally for, the Australian Government’s perspective on human rights online and technology for development.
In industry, Zoe previously led Amazon's digital policy in Australia and New Zealand. In this role, Zoe made a significant contribution to the drafting of Australia's Online Safety Industry Codes and represented the company in global online safety organisations, including the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism and the Tech Coalition. Today, Zoe also advises the international development not-for-profit organisation, IREX, on their ‘National Models for Women’s Safety Online Program’, which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to address threats to women’s engagement and leadership in digital spaces across Kenya and the Philippines.
A Research Associate at the University of Oxford, Zoe also specialises in the intersection of technology and geopolitics. Her research on the role of big tech companies in US-China tech competition has been commissioned by the OECD, and featured in TIME Magazine, The Economist, and Politico. Recognised in the Australian Financial Review’s 2025 Women to Watch list, Zoe is passionate about helping elevate the next generation of women leaders by role modelling confident female leadership and mentoring young women across responsible tech policy and geopolitics in Australia and around the world.
Richard Bean
Richard is a senior executive with long regulatory and public policy experience. Until recently he was Executive Director of Ad Standards, the Australian advertising industry’s self-regulation and complaints handling scheme. During that time, he was appointed by the Australian Government to conduct a review of the November 2023 Optus outage and its impact on triple zero services. Earlier consulting work included co-leading a review of the ABC and SBS, and contracting to the NSW EPA as CEO. Before that he led the Australian Communications and Media Authority, Australia’s media and telecommunications regulator, which he joined as Deputy Chair in 2010.
Richard was general counsel and company secretary at wireless broadband infrastructure and ISP owner Unwired Group Limited, was responsible for legal and business affairs in programming at Network Ten and practised as a commercial, media and litigation lawyer at national commercial law firm Blake Dawson Waldron (now Ashurst).
Richard holds a BA (Hons) from the University of Sydney and a law degree from the University of New South Wales.
Robert Neely
Robert is a senior technology and regulatory lawyer with many years' experience advising on legal issues arising within the digital economy. He has been a partner and practice leader with a number of major Australian law firms and has also spent time working within industry and with the Australian Competition and Consumer Authority. Robert's areas of expertise include the provision of digital services; cybersecurity; privacy; and technology-based infrastructure projects. He also advises on competition and consumer related issues.
Robert is recognised as a leading lawyer in various industry directories including Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific; Doyle's Guide, Legal 500 Asia-Pacific and The Best Lawyers Australia. He has a BA and law degree from the University of Sydney and a Master of Laws from the University of NSW. He recently completed the Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme with the Saïd Business School at Oxford University.
Robert is a member of the Digital Commerce Committee of the Law Council of Australia and has been actively involved in preparing submissions and commenting on legal developments in the digital commerce sector.
