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Sorry Business and Funerals During COVID-19

 

*PLEASE NOTE: Information only current at time of publishing, for the latest information please visit: https://www.datsip.qld.gov.au/coronavirus/sorry-business-funerals

Funerals with more than ten people are not allowed under strict new controls to stop coronavirus.

Sorry Business and other cultural activities are very important. But it is more important at the moment to keep Elders — and others who are already ill — safe by not holding gatherings of more than a few people.

The Federal Government has banned large indoor and outdoor gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), and this includes sorry business and family gatherings such as wakes.

Travel restrictions are also in place across Queensland, so people will not be able to travel to attend gatherings.

Families need to talk about other ways they can conduct sorry business while restrictions are in place. There are some good recommendations in the resources below put together by the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships.

datsip_SorryBusiness_31_03_2020

datsip_sorrybusiness factsheet

Download PDF Posters and Fact Sheet:

DATSIP – Sorry – Business-Poster (PDF)

DATSIP – Sorry – Business- Fact Sheet (PDF)

 

Visit the DATSIP Site for more resources developed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak:

https://www.datsip.qld.gov.au/people-communities/sorry-business-funerals-during-coronavirus 

 

 

 

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COVID-19 Response – Magistrates Court (Information and Practice Directions)

Queensland Courts ARE open and hearing cases but with a number of operational changes.
 
Court Attendance
Queensland Health advise that people should stay at home if they are feeling unwell or have been overseas in the past 14 days.
 
If you consider that this advice applies to you, please DO NOT ATTEND a court location.
 
For Magistrates Court matters, defendants are encouraged to make use of electronic pleas of guilty and adjournments, where available. Guidelines for court arrangements in various Magistrates Courts are now available. If you are a party to proceedings, you should contact your legal representative or the court via telephone or email. See Courthouse contacts contained in the linked web page below.
 
These measures will assist in reducing the potential for transmission of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
 
Queensland Courts will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 advice being provided by health authorities and act accordingly.
 
For the latest updates from Queensland Health, visit the Queensland Health Website.
https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19
 
 
Practice Direction 3 of 2020 – Court arrangements (COVID-19)
https://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/643581/mc-pd-3of2020.pdf
 
Practice Direction 4 of 2020 – Court arrangements (COVID-19 in the Childrens Court when constituted by a Magistrate
https://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/643610/cc-mc-pd-4of2020.pdf
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Current Access to ATSILS Legal Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ServiceAccess_NeedLegalHelp_OfficeLocations_COVID-19_1During these uncertain times, please be assured ATSILS (QLD) is still currently providing legal assistance both in and out of court for our clients but with changes so as to protect our staff, our clients and our communities from the spread of COVID-19.
 
Some courts are closed and some only let a few people inside the court at a time. We are using telephone and video links where we can and adjourning matters that we can. We have cancelled all our non-essential travel to communities.
 
If you have a matter in court, please call the ATSILS office that is helping you before your court date. We can advise you what to do next by phone.
 
As of today 24/03/2020 we encourage all contact with ATSILS staff to be made via phone unless we have made other arrangements with you. All face to face lawyer/client contact and workshops with community groups will be officially suspended by ATSILS (QLD) as of 26/03/2020. We know things will keep changing so it is important to stay in touch with your local office.
 
If you are not sure which ATSILS Office is helping you, please call 1800 012 255.
 
For all state-wide contact details for ATSILS offices visit:
 
We will also do our best to share any changes in how we will be delivering services or changes to Court procedures, so please check our social media channels regularly for the latest updates.
 
View ATSILS Media Release re: Suspending Face to Face Contact with Clients:
 
Follow us on for the latest service delivery updates:
 
Facebook:
 
Twitter:
 
LinkedIn:
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ATSILS suspends the delivery of face to face legal services in response to the heightening risk that COVID-19 poses to staff and communities.

FacebookCOVID19_MediaReleaseWith the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to rise in Queensland, The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) LTD (ATSILS) will enact further service delivery adjustments to help protect our workforce and communities. As of the 26/03/2020, ATSILS advises that it will cease all face to face lawyer/client contact and workshops with community groups. Wherever possible, information and communication technology resources will be utilised to facilitate the continued delivery of essential legal assistance services to our clients.
ATSILS CEO Shane Duffy said, “we have a duty to protect our workforce and the communities we serve from the heightening risk of COVID-19 infection. This unprecedented measure has been made primarily in accordance with our duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, which requires our organisation to provide a safe workplace and a safe system of work to ensure the health and safety of our staff.”

“ATSILS has also advised the Chief Magistrate of the decision to cease face-to-face services.”

“ATSILS is well into enacting our contingency actions from our COVID-19 Response Plan. We are working daily with our Board of Directors, State and Federal Government, Queensland Courts and the organisations health advisors. Most organisations around the world are undertaking these steps to limit the threat to staff and their communities”, Mr Duffy said.

Earlier today Mr Duffy advised ATSILS staff of the additional precautionary measures that would be put into place. Staff have been transitioned to work from home arrangements where possible and will utilise telephone, internet, intranet and video-link options to facilitate the ongoing delivery of legal services to clients during this time of rapid change and uncertainty.

ATSILS wishes all staff and communities the best of health and encourages all to remain vigilant with self-care, social distancing, self-isolation where relevant, and to follow increased hygiene practices both personally and in the environments in which you live and work.  As the impact of the virus in Queensland changes, advice will also change quickly, so it is important to get up-to-date health and safety advice from credible sources. We recommend following updates from: Queensland Health, Australian Department of Health, and the World Health Organisation.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service will continue to monitor the situation related to COVID-19 and update staff, clients, community and stakeholders of any further service delivery adjustments accordingly.

Download/Print Media Release (PDF)

For further information regarding access to legal services during this time please contact an ATSILS office in your region: https://atsils.org.au/contact/

Email: info@atsils@org.au

Call: 1800 012 255 – Free call 24/7 for urgent criminal law matters.

Media Contact for Mr Shane Duffy:
Joshua.herd@atsils.org.au

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COVID-19 Impacts on Service Delivery – Palm Island and Cherbourg

Update 3: 19/03/2019

FacebookCOVID19_MediaReleaseCOVID-19 Impacts on Service Delivery – (Torres Strait Islands, Northern Peninsula Area, Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape Regions, and the communities of Woorabinda, Yarrabah, Palm Island and Cherbourg.)

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) LTD (ATSILS) advises that all pre court and court circuits into the Torres Strait Islands, Northern Peninsula Area, Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape Regions, and now into the communities of Woorabinda, Yarrabah, Palm Island and Cherbourg have been suspended immediately due to the potential health vulnerability of our people in remote communities.

ATSILS is committed to supporting efforts from all levels of government to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to communities. This decision to suspend service in these regions is a critical response that aligns with the Australian Government’s – National Indigenous Australians Agency’s advice, to carefully balance community needs with the public health implications of any travel.

In addition to travel restrictions to our remote communities, ATSILS will also be looking to limit travel by staff to and from communities in other regions of the state (including urban and regional) for non-essential purposes, where options such as tele/videoconference or postponement are reasonable alternatives. In addition, pre-arranged events requiring people to travel to or from communities will be deferred indefinitely. Several remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are also starting to restrict access to their community for non-essential travel.

CEO Shane Duffy said, “ATSILS will continue to provide essential services with increased caution to protect staff and the community of which we service from the potential spread of COVID-19. We have a response plan in place to increase protection for our staff, clients and communities and are continually implementing business continuity arrangements to minimise disruption to service delivery.”

In line with the advice from the Australian Government, the benefits of continuing delivery of services, needs to be balanced with managing the risk of potentially spreading the virus within the community.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service will continue to monitor this rapidly evolving situation related to COVID-19 and update staff, clients, community and stakeholders of any further service delivery adjustments accordingly.

For further information regarding access to legal services during this time please contact an ATSILS office in your region: https://atsils.org.au/contact/

Email: info@atsils@org.au

Call: 1800 012 255 – Free call 24/7 for urgent criminal law matters.

Media Contact for Mr Shane Duffy: Joshua.herd@atsils.org.au

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MEDIA Release: COVID-19 Impacts on Service Delivery Woorabinda and Yarrabah

FacebookCOVID19_MediaReleaseCOVID-19 Impacts on Service Delivery – (Torres Strait Islands, Northern Peninsula Area, Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape Regions, and the communities of Woorabinda and Yarrabah.)

 

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) LTD (ATSILS) advises that all pre court and court circuits into the Torres Strait Islands, Northern Peninsula Area, Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape Regions, and into the communities of Woorabinda and Yarrabah have been suspended immediately due to the potential health vulnerability of our people in remote communities.

ATSILS is committed to supporting efforts from all levels of government to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to communities. This decision to suspend service in these regions is a critical response that aligns with the Australian Government’s – National Indigenous Australians Agency’s advice, to carefully balance community needs with the public health implications of any travel.

In addition to travel restrictions to our remote communities, ATSILS will also be looking to limit travel by staff to and from communities in other regions of the state (including urban and regional) for non-essential purposes, where options such as tele/videoconference or postponement are reasonable alternatives. In addition, pre-arranged events requiring people to travel to or from communities will be deferred indefinitely. Several remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are also starting to restrict access to their community for non-essential travel.

CEO Shane Duffy said, “ATSILS will continue to provide essential services with increased caution to protect staff and the community of which we service from the potential spread of COVID-19. We have a response plan in place to increase protection for our staff, clients and communities and are continually implementing business continuity arrangements to minimise disruption to service delivery.”

In line with the advice from the Australian Government, the benefits of continuing delivery of services, needs to be balanced with managing the risk of potentially spreading the virus within the community.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service will continue to monitor this rapidly evolving situation related to COVID-19 and update staff, clients, community and stakeholders of any further service delivery adjustments accordingly.

Download/Print Media Release

For further information regarding access to legal services during this time please contact an ATSILS office in your region: https://atsils.org.au/contact/

Email: info@atsils@org.au

Call: 1800 012 255 – Free call 24/7 for urgent criminal law matters.

Media Contact for Mr Shane Duffy: Joshua.herd@atsils.org.au

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MEDIA Release: COVID-19 Impacts on Service Delivery

FacebookCOVID19_MediaReleaseThe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) LTD (ATSILS) advises that all pre court and court circuits into the Torres Strait Islands, Northern Peninsula Area, Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape Regions have been suspended immediately due to the potential health vulnerability of our people in remote communities.

ATSILS (QLD) is committed to supporting efforts from all levels of government to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to communities. This decision to suspend service in these regions is a critical response that aligns with the Australian Government’s – National Indigenous Australians Agency’s advice, to carefully balance community needs with the public health implications of any travel.

In addition to travel restrictions to our remote communities, ATSILS will also be looking to limit travel by staff to and from communities in other regions of the state (including urban and regional) for non-essential purposes, where options such as tele/videoconference or postponement are reasonable alternatives. In addition, pre-arranged events requiring people to travel to or from communities will be deferred indefinitely. Several remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are also starting to restrict access to their community for non-essential travel.

CEO Shane Duffy said, “ATSILS will continue to provide essential services with increased caution to protect staff and the community of which we service from the potential spread of COVID-19. We have a response plan in place to increase protection for our staff, clients and communities and are continually implementing business continuity arrangements to minimise disruption to service delivery.”

In line with the advice from the Australian Government, the benefits of continuing delivery of services, needs to be balanced with managing the risk of potentially spreading the virus within the community.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service will continue to monitor this rapidly evolving situation related to COVID-19 and update staff, clients, community and stakeholders of any further service delivery adjustments accordingly.

For further information regarding access to legal services during this time please contact an ATSILS office in your region: https://atsils.org.au/contact/

Email: info@atsils@org.au

Call: 1800 012 255 – Free call 24/7 for urgent criminal law matters.

Media Contact for Mr Shane Duffy: Joshua.herd@atsils.org.au

Download/Print ATSILS COVID-19 Media Release