Director of the CLC, Clayton Utz partner Caroline Lovell, spoke at the launch about the need for regulatory policy debate and legal reform in the media and communications sector, given the pace of technological change.

"We anticipate that the CLC's leadership...will become increasingly important in the coming decade as the media and communications sectors continue to undergo change and regulatory reform," Lovell said.

"One of the most significant developments is of course the national broadband network, which is now one step closer with the Federal Government's release of exposure drafts of legislation, for the ownership and governance of the national broadband network company and access to the services it will provide," she said.

The CLC was officially launched by Senator Stephen Conroy and is an independent, not-for-profit public interest centre, specialising in communications, media and online law and policy.

As joint head of Clayton Utz' telecommunications, media and technology practice, Lovell led the firm's team that advised the Federal Government on its agreement with NextGen Networks, to construct new broadband backbone infrastructure under the $250 million Regional Backbone Blackspots Program.