ATSILS Sunshine Coast Official Office Opening
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ATSILS Sunshine Coast Official Office Opening

Milestone Moment on the Sunshine Coast 🏛️✨

Last week, we officially cut the ribbon on our brand-new Maroochydore Office! It was an incredible day marked by community, reflection, and growth, officially opened by our CEO Shane Duffy and Sunshine Coast Regional Manager Tim Hishon.

As guests entered the new space, they were welcomed by a beautiful and grounding Acknowledgement of Country, setting a meaningful tone for the celebration.

Both Shane and Tim delivered heartfelt speeches, looking back at the early days of ATSILS on the Sunshine Coast. They reflected on the great camaraderie in overcoming challenges and just how far we have come as an organisation—notably achieving wage parity with other legal assistance providers—and the vital importance of having a modern, purpose-built facility to better serve our staff and community. Tim also shared a deeply moving tribute to his staff, with special mentions for long-serving Legal Practitioner Rod Morgan and former Court Support Officer Trevor Draper, who, alongside Tim, have been the backbone of the proud legacy ATSILS has built on the Coast.

We were privileged to welcome a distinguished group of staff, stakeholders, and dignitaries from the local judiciary to mark this new chapter. Our sincere thanks to everyone who joined us, including:

Judge Long, Judge Cash, and their associates
Legal Aid Queensland
Suncoast Community Legal Service Inc
The DPP & Friends of the Court
Murri Court Elders
Youth Justice
UnitingCare Queensland

A massive thank you as well to Tahne and Donna for all their work in planning the event and for providing the exceptional catering that kept our guests energised throughout the celebration!

Our new office is located at Suite 3/115-117 Aerodrome Road, Maroochydore, QLD 4558 (Entry via Maud St).

This move represents our ongoing commitment to justice, equity, and high-quality legal service delivery to Mob on the Sunshine Coast. The new location brings us closer to the Courts, provides more space for our growing workforce, and will help us better serve our community across the region.

ATSILS Statewide Court Support Officer Gathering 2026
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ATSILS Statewide Court Support Officer Gathering 2026

Our Court Support Officers (CSOs) are the vital backbone of ATSILS frontline service delivery. As local people who deeply understand their communities, they bridge the gap between lawyers and clients—breaking down complex legal jargon, helping Mob navigate the justice system, and ensuring our services are truly accessible.
We recently brought together the first half of our state-wide CSO cohort for a powerful two-day conference in Meanjin (Brisbane) focused on key skill-building, teamwork, and better serving our communities! 22 delegates representing regional offices from Brisbane all the way up to Cairns dove headfirst into high-pressure role-plays, mastering everything from after-hours crisis management to complex courtroom dynamics.
A massive thank you to the facilitation team who did a phenomenal job leading the event: Andrew Palombo (Director of Criminal Law), Kate Power (Deputy Director of Criminal Law), and Senior CSOs Rob Hannam (Brisbane), Kylie Ross (Cairns), and Lauren Chilby (Townsville).
Special shout-out to Kate Power for her incredible work in developing this engaging and impact-driven training curriculum with the team. Once again, we extend a big thank you to Aiden Harrison and Angela Jacob for their work in planning the event and getting all the team to Brisbane.
We are so proud of the deep cultural knowledge, lived experience, and dedication our CSOs bring to the frontline every single day. Congratulations to our first group of deadly CSO delegates—who embraced the engaging content and excelled with every practical scenario and role-play thrown at them. We can’t wait to see our second cohort bring the same energy in August! 💪🏾
#ATSILS #CourtSupport #AccessToJustice #CommunityFirst #FrontlineHeroes #QueenslandJustice

2026 ATSILS Leadership Gathering
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2026 ATSILS Leadership Gathering

✨ Reflecting on an inspiring week of connection and growth! ✨
 

The 2026 ATSILS Leadership Gathering held last week in Meanjin (Brisbane) kicked off with inspiring opening remarks, and a powerful Acknowledgement of Country by our Chair Ken Georgetown, CEO Shane Duffy, and PLO Greg Shadbolt.

What followed at the Voco Hotel was an intensive and collaborative two days dedicated to elevating our strategic vision, sharing frontline insights, and driving organisational excellence. 💼✨

The core focus of this year’s conference was creating an invaluable opportunity for leaders from all corners of the state to come together and take a deep dive into the dynamics of workforce development and the key systems and processes that support their leadership.

The gathering served as an engaging forum for cross-regional ideas, collaborative problem-solving, and shared strategies.

Our teams engaged in a comprehensive training program specifically structured to enhance leadership capabilities—ensuring we continue to build sustainable, high-performing workplaces across Queensland.

A huge thank you to the fantastic internal and external presenters who delivered the program:

  • Jharna Mullins (LAQ) for crucial insights into grants training and support.
  • Our IT and Project Team for guiding us through the upcoming Electronic Record Management System updates.
  • Gretel Hunnerup for providing practical frameworks on maximising performance review discussions.
  • Tallena Johnston (ATSILS) for navigating complex case studies in WHS, conflict resolution, and staff transitions.
  • Adam Ross & Natalie Cranston (ATSILS) for their strategic session on optimising recruitment.
  • Dr. James Coleman (Elite Distance Runner) for an incredible guest presentation, translating AFL leadership and the 5R model directly into workplace success.

Once again, we extend our sincere gratitude to the our People and Organisational Development (POD) team and to Angela Jacob for their outstanding efforts in coordinating another highly successful event. Furthermore, we commend Aiden Harrison for his exceptional facilitation of the event throughout the two-day program.

Our leaders returned home to their regions equipped with enhanced leadership insights, fresh perspectives, and an elevated capacity to support our staff and advocate for our communities. 🌟🙌 💪🖤💛❤️💚💙🖤

 

📢QCOSS Human Rights Network: A Child’s Right to Education Webinar! 📢
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📢QCOSS Human Rights Network: A Child’s Right to Education Webinar! 📢

When: 9 June 2026 – 11:30 am through 1:00 pm
Location: Online via Microsoft Teams

Every child deserves access to a safe, supportive, and inclusive education. Yet, too many young people are being pushed out of the school system and into the youth justice system. It’s time to change the story.

ATSILS’s very own Pree Sharma (Legal Practitioner, Law Reform and Community Legal Education) will be speaking this QCOSS event, joining other campaign partners to discuss the critical intersection of education, human rights, and youth justice, standing up for our children’s rights and advocating for systemic change.

If we want to build safer, stronger communities, we must start by keeping our children engaged in learning and out of cells.

Join the conversation and stand with QLD kids.
🔗 https://lnkd.in/ghj-HaPW

HumanRights EducationIsARight RaiseTheAge YouthJustice CommunityLegalEducation ATSILS QCOSS ARightToLearn

ATSILS Family and Civil Law Gathering 2026
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ATSILS Family and Civil Law Gathering 2026

Last week, members of our Family and Civil Law teams from across Queensland gathered on Yuggera and Turrbal country in Brisbane (Meanjin) for the ATSILS Family & Civil Law Statewide Conference. ⚖️✨

Following an Acknowledgement of Country, the delegation received a warm welcome and opening remarks from our Chair Ken Georgetown, CEO Shane Duffy, and Principal Legal Officer Greg Shadbolt—setting a collaborative and inspiring tone for three days of intensive professional development.

The dynamic program focused on practical training, sector updates, and strengthening our state-wide collegiate network. We extend our sincere thanks to the incredible guest speakers and industry experts who shared their time and vital insights:

  • Belinda Aisbett, Rachel Frankish, Natalie Cranston and Adam Ross (ATSILS POD Team) who presented on Workforce Development
  • Melissa Lightburn & Tyron Day – Administrative Review Tribunal QLD First Nations Liaison Team
  • Audrey-Bella Moran – Data and File Management
  • Shane Budden (Special Counsel Ethics, Queensland Law Society)
  • Senior Judicial Registrar Flintoff – Federal Circuit & Family Court of Australia
  • Anand Shah (Barrister) – Mediation Practice
  • Craig Smith (Director of Legal Practice, QUT) – Courtroom Advocacy Masterclass
  • Magistrate Mac Giolla Ri – Magistrates Court QLD
  • Hamish – Blue Card Services QLD
  • Dr. Gavan Palk (Barrister & Forensic Psychologist) – Client Capacity and Mental Health
  • Dr. Tarli Young (UQ Centre for Excellence) – Workplace Well-being

We also want to acknowledge the exceptional work of the ATSILS POD team, Jennifer Ekanayake (ATSILS Director of Family Law) and Simon Burgess (ATSILS Director of Civil Law) for their meticulous event planning and management, and a big thank you to Aiden Harrison for doing such a fantastic job facilitating the conference! 👏👏

Our practitioners returned to their respective regional hubs upskilled, re-energised, and deeply committed to delivering high-quality, culturally robust legal services for our communities.