Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Mees was an active member of the Australian debating community. He debated in competition from schools level, through university, to adult level. Mees served on the Executive of the Debaters Association of Victoria, adjudicated schools competition, and participated in selection and training of the Victorian Schools Debating Team. As an adult, he represented Victoria at the National Debating Championships, and was a member of the winning team in Hobart in 1992. In 1988 Mees married journalist, academic and teacher Erica Cervini. Mees died in Melbourne on 19 June 2013, aged 52. Mees was survived by Cervini; his mother Roma and father Tom, a retired barrister specialising in industrial relations law; and his three younger brothers - Peter (also a lawyer), Bernard (also an RMIT academic), and Stephen.