Townsville Deadly Day Out! – NAIDOC
NAIDOC Townsville 2026Our Townsville ATSILS family had a fantastic day out connecting with the community at the recent NAIDOC Deadly Day Out. The energy was incredible, with thousands of people coming together to celebrate a massive milestone: 50 Years of Deadly!
 
It was a brilliant, fast-paced day, and our team was kept busy from start to finish—yarnin’, sharing vital resources, and connecting with community members all day long.
 
A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello, grab some information, or share a chat with us. We are deeply proud to represent the ATSILS family out in the field and to support our community where it matters most.
Until the next one, stay deadly! 💪🏾✨
 
#CommunityEngagement #LegalServices #Townsville #ATSILS #CommunitySupport #50YearsOfDeadly
NAIDOC – Musgrave Park Family Fun Day

🖤💛❤️🩵💚💙 Our Brisbane team had a brilliant time out with the community at the NAIDOC – Musgrave Park Family Fun Day, celebrating a massive milestone—50 years of Deadly!

 
It was an amazing display of culture, community, and deadly entertainment.
 
Our team was out in force, having a yarn with community, sharing our sample bag goodies, and handing out legal resources. We were proud to be on hand to support community members with legal enquiries and referrals, while catching up with other fantastic service providers and partners from across Southeast Queensland.
 
At its heart, NAIDOC Week is about celebrating the world’s oldest continuing culture and honouring the enduring strength and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It’s a time to recognise and thank the generations of Elders, leaders, and communities who have gone before us and paved the way.
A massive thank you to everyone who came by to see us, and a huge shout-out to all the team in attendance! 🙌🏾🖤💛❤️🩵💚💙
 
#NAIDOC #MusgravePark #Deadly50 #CultureAndCommunity #ATSILSBrisbane #CommunitySupport #SoutheastQueensland #CelebrateCulture #Meanjin #CommunityLegalEducation
Sunshine Coast NAIDOC Family Fun Day 2026

☀️ What a beautiful day on Gubbi Gubbi Country!

Our Sunny Coast team had an incredible time celebrating “Fifty Years of Deadly” at the Kings Beach NAIDOC Family Fun Day. The sun was shining, the energy was amazing, and it was a wonderful showcase of community, culture, live music, and local market stalls.
Our team was on hand all day chatting with community members, answering legal queries, and handing out our sample bags—packed with fun goodies for the kids and helpful legal fact sheets covering family, civil, and criminal law to help everyone better understand their rights. 🙌🏽🖤💛❤️💚💙🤍
Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello and celebrate with us and congratulations to the local organising committee on a great event!
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! 📢

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

hashtagHumanRights hashtagEducationIsARight hashtagRaiseTheAge hashtagYouthJustice hashtagCommunityLegalEducation hashtagATSILS hashtagQCOSS hashtagARightToLearn

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
⚖️ 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 🏛️⚖️
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) ⚖️

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

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