ATSILS are joining NATSILS – National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and Justice and Equity Centre to say: enough is enough.
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ATSILS Toowoomba Regional Manager will join family and friends next month on an epic mission to raise awareness and vital funds for crisis counselling services across the Darling Downs and South West Queensland.
On 26 May 2025, the first-ever Lifeline 3000 Ride will commence. Covering an incredible 1250km journey, Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland CEO, Rachelle Patterson, alongside her husband, family, and close friends, will embark on this challenging mountain bike ride from the Dig Tree (near Innamincka on the South Australian border) to Toowoomba.
The initial goal for the Lifeline 3000 Ride was to raise enough funds to employ a crisis counsellor who could serve communities across South West Queensland. However, the devastating floods that have recently swept through Western Queensland have made this need even more urgent.
The LLDDSWQ mission is to continue offering this much-needed counselling and psychosocial support to affected property owners, business owners, and individuals—long after the floodwaters have receded. To achieve this, LLDDSWQ needs the broader region’s help. By securing sponsorships and donations from partners throughout Toowoomba and beyond, LLDDSWQ can fund the long-term counselling services these communities desperately need.
LLDDSWQ acknowledges that things are pretty tough out there at the moment so if this isn’t a great time for you to consider sponsorship, we would request that you instead share the link to the LLDDSWQ fundraising page with your staff and network Lifeline Darling Downs & South West Queensland – Lifeline 3000 where individuals and businesses can make a tax-deductible donation. Every dollar raised will remain in this region as we are a local company with a footprint within the Darling Downs and South West Queensland.
For more information view:
LDDSWQL. Lifeline 3000 Charity Bike Ride. Sponsorship Proposal (long form)_v1.0 final
To donate to this important initiative click on the link below.
https://fundraise.lifeline.org.au/event/lifeline-darling-downs–south-west-queensland—lifeline-3000/home
ATSILS teamed up with the members of the Queensland Legal Assistance Forum to produce a range of community legal education resources under the banner: Which Way – Protect Your Legal Rights!
The suite of resources was developed by First Nations Creative Agency – Gilimbaa and with key messaging aimed at enhancing community access to legal assistance options for domestic violence and child safety matters.
The resources were launched this week by our Director of Communications and Sector Engagement – Graham White and will be distributed throughout our partner networks to get the key messages out to our communities.
We thank the Queensland Government – Department of Justice and Attorney General for assisting in funding the project and all partners for their contributions.
Which Way – Protect Your Legal Rights!
We have a range of posters we would like to distribute throughout our partner networks to ensure our communities know there are a range of legal assistance providers available to assist them with Child Safety and Domestic Violence matters. If you would like a copy of the posters below please email: joshua.herd@atsils.org.au.
Alternatively, you are welcome to download and print a PDF version using the links below.
Download Posters [PDF]
Which Way – Legal Assistance for Child Safety Matters
Which Way – Legal Assistance for Domestic Violence Matters (Victim/Survivor)
Which Way – Legal Assistance for Domestic Violence Matters (Respondent)
Download/Share Videos
Today marks the 16th anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations delivered by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
Don’t Silence the Violence
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) Ltd is appalled at the state of play for children and juveniles currently languishing in police watch houses across Queensland. It is totally unacceptable that such vulnerable young people are being subjected to this type of traumatic treatment whilst under the care of the state. Holding kids in these facilities is extremely dangerous and simply creates an unsafe environment where another death in custody is more likely to occur due to human rights abuses.
The Australian Labor Party announce critical funding measures to address the disadvantage experienced by First Nations people in the justice system.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) Ltd (ATSILS) has welcomed the funding commitments announced today by The Australian Labor Party (ALP) in relation to addressing family violence and the disadvantage experienced by First Nations peoples in the justice system.
A Human Rights Act for Queensland is powerful medicine for advancing and protecting the rights of vulnerable Queenslanders.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) LTD (ATSILS) commends the Palaszczuk Government for their steadfast commitment to advancing human rights protections for all Queenslanders with the introduction of a human rights bill in parliament today.
ATSILS CEO Shane Duffy said, “This is an historic day for all Queenslanders, especially the most vulnerable in our communities, and the importance of the legislative protection of human rights is the critical foundation needed to progress towards a fairer and more equitable Queensland.”
We represent many vulnerable people in diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the State who have for too long been disadvantaged by poor policies and laws that entrench poverty, perpetuate discrimination and fuel the ongoing over-representation of our people in the justice system.”
ATSILS looks forward to seeing the positive impact this legislation will have on strengthening human rights protections for individuals – particularly society’s most vulnerable. We especially welcome the much needed protections related to the cultural rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the economic, social and cultural rights to education and healthcare contained in the bill.
“Having human rights protections enshrined in law will be a real litmus test for addressing elements in this cycle of disadvantage and discrimination that our clients, their families and other vulnerable groups in communities experience daily,” Mr Duffy said.
ATSILS strongly endorses the introduction of a human rights charter in Queensland. This is in many respects a defining moment that has the clear potential to make for better outcomes and a fairer Queensland. A human rights instrument will see enhanced protections and rights for all Queenslanders and is particularly significant for the most vulnerable who often do not have the financial resources to enforce their human rights by way of legal representation and advocacy.
ATSILS looks forward to continuing the positive dialogue with the Palaszczuk Government and key stakeholders now and into the future as Queensland positions itself to lead the country in human rights protections.
ATSILS CEO Shane Duffy was invited to Canberra recently to attend A Special Gathering of prominent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders asked to provide advice to Government on a refreshed ‘Closing The Gap’ agenda. The gathering coincided with the first Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting of 2018.
Shane was one of 64 State and Commonwealth delegates selected to come together to provide advice on future policy priorities, and how all governments can be held to account for driving change. A delegation from the Special Gathering then attended the COAG meeting to provide advice of the gathering directly to First Ministers.
The Special Gathering agreed the next phase of the Closing the Gap agenda must be guided by the principles of empowerment and self-determination as articulated in the 2008 Close the Gap Statement of Intent. The group demanded from government a community led, strength based strategy that enables us to move beyond surviving to thriving.
Priorities
The Gathering agreed that existing targets should be retained and critically reviewed, and that the following areas are of highest importance for setting additional future targets as part of this refresh:
– Families, children and youth
– Housing
– Justice, including youth justice
– Health
– Economic development
– Culture and language
– Education
– Healing
– Eliminating racism and systemic discrimination
We call on governments to negotiate specific targets in these areas with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and our representative bodies.
Here is a link to the full statement from the group:
https://closingthegaprefresh.pmc.gov.au/news/special-gathering-statement