Congratulations to Hervey Bay – CSO Dianne Pickwick on your NAIDOC Award
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Congratulations to Hervey Bay – CSO Dianne Pickwick on your NAIDOC Award

NAIDOC 2026What a fantastic kick-off to NAIDOC Week for our Hervey Bay team on Butchulla country! 🖤💛❤️💚💙
🎉🏆 Huge congratulations to long-serving Court Support Officer Dianne Pickwick, who was awarded Community Person of the Year at yesterday’s Fraser Coast local NAIDOC Awards Ceremony!
Dianne was absolutely thrilled to receive the award and extended a heartfelt thank you to her team for all their ongoing support. We are incredibly proud of the work she does for community every single day—and so happy she has received this fitting recognition! 🙌🏾
📸 Pictured: Dianne proudly holding her award alongside Hervey Bay Regional Manager, Murray Nielsen
📢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

Celebrating Torres Strait Islander Flag Day! 💙💚🖤
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Celebrating Torres Strait Islander Flag Day! 💙💚🖤

ATSILS acknowledges the Traditional Owners and custodians of the Torres Strait. Today, and every day, we stand in solidarity with Torres Strait Islander peoples, celebrating an unbroken legacy of rich culture, identity, pride and leadership represented through the Torres Strait Islander Flag.

Designed in 1992 by the late Bernard Namok Senior of Thursday Island, the flag was formally acknowledged as an official “Flag of Australia” by the Australian Government in 1995. It stands as a powerful symbol of unity and connection to Country.

What the colors and symbols of the flag represent?

🟩 Green – Represents the land and its deep connection to the people.

🟦 Blue – Represents the surrounding seas that give life and sustenance.

⬛ Black – Represents the proud Torres Strait Islander people themselves.

⬜ White Dhari (Headdress) – A symbol of peace, leadership, and distinct cultural identity.

⭐ Five-pointed star – Represents the five major island groups (Western, Eastern, Central, Port Kennedy, and Northern) and pays tribute to seafaring ancestors and traditional navigation.

#TorresStraitIslanderFlagDay #Culture #Pride #Identity #ATSILS #FirstNations #TorresStrait #Unity

ATSILS Civil Outreach Legal Clinics – Far North Queensland 2026
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ATSILS Civil Outreach Legal Clinics – Far North Queensland 2026

⚖️ ATSILS Civil Outreach Clinics will be held in Atherton, Mareeba, Malanda, Mt Garnett, Ravenshoe, Kuranda, Mossman, Cooktown and Hopevale throughout 2026. There will also be separate clinics held in Yarrabah and Innisfail – contact ATSILS Cairns for details.
Delivered by members of our Cairns Civil Law Team in partnership with local Community Justice Groups, these clinics provide the community with free & more accessible legal advice and assistance in their communities.
Whether you’re dealing with a difficult landlord, unfair debt, workplace issues, or need help with a Will, come and see our team at one of the events listed below and in Flyer linked here.
🛠️ What we can help with:
✅ Housing & Tenancy
✅ Debts & Payday Lending
✅ Employment Law & Workplace Rights
✅ Wills & Superannuation
✅ Blue Cards & Driver’s Licence Hardship
✅ Police Accountability & Discrimination
Even if your matter is about Family Law, Domestic Violence or Child Protection – come see us—we can provide the right referral pathway to ensure you get the help you need.
Don’t wait until a small problem becomes a big one. Reach out to your local coordinator listed in the contact tile below to book an appointment!
Advocating for Change: Our Voice in the Justice System 🏛️⚖️
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Advocating for Change: Our Voice in the Justice System 🏛️⚖️

At ATSILS, our work goes beyond the courtroom. We are always working behind the scenes to challenge and change laws that disadvantage our people. 🖤💛❤️💙💚🤍
Through our Law Reform and Advocacy work, we make sure that the voices of our community are heard. We provide the evidence needed to show how laws negatively affect our people and how they can be made fairer.
We’ve recently finished several important submissions to Government, including:
🛡️ Youth Justice & Monitoring: Fighting for better ways to support our youth rather than just increasing surveillance.
🏛️ First Nations Education: Pushing for cultural safety and better outcomes for our kids in school.
⛓️ Inquiry into Incarceration: Looking at the “why” behind high rates of prison time and how to fix a broken system.
🛑 CCC Review: Holding the watchdogs accountable to ensure transparency for everyone.
This work is all about accountability and making sure the justice system becomes one that is fair, transparent, and culturally safe for all of us. 👊🏽
🔗 Read our full submissions here: https://atsils.org.au/submissions/
New CLE Resource – Expanded Police Wanding Powers (Jack’s Law) ⚖️
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New CLE Resource – Expanded Police Wanding Powers (Jack’s Law) ⚖️

Helping Mob Navigate Expanded Police Wanding Powers (Jack’s Law) ⚖️

Community safety is important, but so are your rights. ✊🏾
With the introduction of Jack’s Law, police powers in Queensland have expanded. Police can now use handheld metal detection wands to search for weapons in certain public areas without a warrant or “reasonable suspicion.”

These expanded powers can have a disproportionate impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. To support community, ATSILS has developed a new legal education resource to help Mob stay informed.

This video is designed to provide clear, practical guidance to community on:
📍 Where these searches happen (like transport hubs & night precincts).
✋ Your rights when being stopped for a scan.
✅ Your responsibilities during the process to keep things calm.

📺Watch the video to learn how to navigate these interactions safely.

Need Legal Support?
If you or someone you know has been charged, or if you believe you have experienced unfair treatment or discrimination during a police wanding process, we encourage you to reach out for professional legal advice.

📞 ATSILS 24/7 Free Call: 1800 012 255

Animation produced by Punchy Studio

Submission 2026 Commonwealth Consultation – First Nations Education Policy
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Submission 2026 Commonwealth Consultation – First Nations Education Policy

View our latest submission re: First Nations Education Policy Discussion Paper Consultation

Linked here: Submission-2026-Commonwealth-Consultation-First-Nations-Education-Policy-Upload-Version.pdf

For a list of all our latest legal submissions, please visit: Submissions – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) Ltd

🎥 Strengthening Pathways to Justice in the Far North 🎥
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🎥 Strengthening Pathways to Justice in the Far North 🎥

Our Cairns team is proud to be part of a critical partnership with the Family Responsibilities Commission (FRC), aimed at empowering First Nations people to fully participate in the criminal justice system.

The impact of this collaboration is captured in the new film, ‘My Justice Journey’. It follows the vital work of FRC Local Commissioners—respected Elders in the Aurukun community—as they provide essential, culturally grounded support to vulnerable community members navigating the justice system.

This project is a powerful testament to the necessity of community-led solutions in achieving meaningful justice outcomes.

 

Yarning with Elders about important legal issues on beautiful Quandamooka Country!
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Yarning with Elders about important legal issues on beautiful Quandamooka Country!

ATSILS Community Legal Educations - Wills and ePOAATSILS’ lawyers Pree Sharma and Natasha Goddard recently attended the Deadly Choices Indigenous Senior Games on beautiful Quandamooka Country at Capalaba Warriors Rugby League Football Club.
The team delivered another important community legal education session to a large group of Elders, focusing on the importance of getting your affairs in order. We had a great yarn about:
📜 Wills
✍️ Enduring Powers of Attorney
💼 Binding Nominations for Superannuation
The interest was huge and many Elders provided their details to make follow-up appointments with the ATSILS Team to get their affairs sorted right away.
Remember, ATSILS can provide you with legal assistance in relation to Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney and Binding Nominations for Superannuation. It is a free and confidential service!
🙌 Big thanks to Deadly Choices for having us and organising such a wonderful event.

#ATSILS #DeadlyChoices #QuandamookaCountry #CommunityLegalEducation #Elders #WillsAndEstates

Empowering women at the Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre through collaborative community legal education! 🤝✨
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Empowering women at the Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre through collaborative community legal education! 🤝✨

ATSILS CLE TownsvilleThis week, Paige Ryan and Thomas Proctor from our Townsville office visited the Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre (TWCC) to deliver a dedicated legal information session to support women in understanding their rights and responsibilities regarding vital domestic and family violence issues.

This CLE session was part of a larger, 3-week collaborative project whereby TWCC, ATSILS, Transform Lives Program, North Queensland Women’s Legal Service and the First Nations Women’s Legal Services Qld Inc joined forces to offer the women at TWCC these DFV community legal information sessions in alignment and solidarity with the 16 Days of Activism 2025.

What we covered:

🗣️ Coercive Control: Breaking down the new offences that came into effect in QLD in 2025, how to identify these behaviours, and where to get support.
View our quick guide on understanding Coercive Control

📜 Domestic Violence Orders (DVOs): Understanding DVOS , what constitutes a breach, and practical tips on how to navigate them.

View our quick guide on understanding Domestic Violence Orders

The smaller group setting provided a safe and open space for questions and genuine conversation. There was really positive feedback from the women about what they had learned from the session, and what they would like to see more of in future.