ATSILS News

R U OK? Day 2022

Today is R U OK?Day, a national day of action when we are reminded that every day is the day to ask, ‘are you OK?’ and start a meaningful conversation with someone you care about who might be struggling with life.
Find tips on how to ask, and what to say if someone says they aren’t OK, at https://bit.ly/2ZcG05n #RUOK
ATSILS News

Team Maroochydore take part in the annual Law Week Walk

ATSILS MaroochydoreThe annual Law Week Walk was held on the 18th of May and the ATSILS Maroochydore team were out in force early at Cotton Tree on the Sunshine Coast to take part.
The team enjoyed hitting the pavement to support a good cause alongside colleagues from the legal fraternity including His Honour Judge Long of the District Court and Nambour Magistrates Court Registrar (and sometimes Acting Magistrate) Andrew Walker.
Below is a picture of the team Steph, Luke, Rod, Tim, Donna, Phoebe and Jordy, and Jordy’s daughter Elsie who was clearly the youngest participant by at least a couple of decades!
A great effort by Team Maroochydore.

Our Ipswich office making sure their local community has a voice!

Out in our Ipswich office, Regional Manager Kevin Rose invites local elders & respected persons to speak to our Ipswich team at the end of every staff meeting.

Making sure the local community has a voice and staying in touch with grassroots people is vital to informing our cultural proficiency and ensuring our legal service delivery is responsive to local community needs.

Well done Kevin and all the team in Ipswich.

 

 

Licensing Muster Event – Bamaga (18th August 2020)

NPA Licensing Muster – (held in conjunction with the Licensing Mob)
Bamaga – (18th of August at 8am – 4pm)
 
Licence Muster events provide remote communities with access to a range of licensing, registration and ID services! Whether you need help with your registration & licence renewals, photo ID cards or you need a to sort out a SPER debt, there will be a deadly team of cross agency professionals there to help you!
 
The NPA Licensing Muster Initiative is a cross-agency collaborative initiative of the following:
 
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (ATSILS)
Queensland Police Service
NPA Community Justice Group
Licensing Mob (Department of Transport and Main Roads)
NPA Family and Community Services
 
View Event Flyer:
The NPA Licensing Muster Initiative is a cross-agency collaborative initiative of the following:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services QLD (ATSILS)
Queensland Police Service
NPA Community Justice Group
Licensing Mob (Department of Transport and Main Roads)
NPA Family and Community Services.

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:

QUT Indigenous Pre Law and Justice Program visit to ATSILS

EQASA0yU0AEBze_It was great to have students from QUT’s Indigenous Pre Law and Justice Program visit our Brisbane office this week. These bright and deadly ones spent time with our team to learn more about the important role of ATSILS in the function of the justice system and our work in protecting and advancing the legal & human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The students were welcomed by our Director of Sector Engagement and Communications – Graham White, and members of our Legal, Court Support and Prevention, Intervention and Community Legal Education teams enjoyed sharing insight into the key roles they undertake in delivering legal services to the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Increased representation from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the legal sector is an important element in addressing the ongoing disadvantage our people experience in the justice system. AT ATSILS we are committed to fostering partnerships with progressive academic institutions like QUT (Queensland University of Technology) and welcome the opportunity to play our part in inspiring the next generation of legal practitioners along their career paths.

Photo Credit: (QUT Indigenous Pre Law and Justice Program)

National Reconciliation Week celebrations this week on Thursday Island

IMG20190527124359ATSILS took part in National Reconciliation Week celebrations this week on Thursday Island, attending the ’67 Referendum Day Community Gathering and Morning Tea with Elders at the Anglican Church Community Hall.

ATSILS participated in providing an information stall for the community along with other Thursday Island Social Justice Interagency Services.

Big esso to the coordinators of the event for inviting us to participate, the “Black Paradise” band for providing the tunes and most importantly the Elders who shared with us their fascinating stories of the events leading to the 1967 Referendum.

 

 

 

 

 

ATSILS Logo

2018 – QUT Indigenous Pre Law and Justice Program Students visit ATSILS

QUT 2018 Indigenous Pre Law and Justice Program visit to ATSILS2018 Indigenous Pre Law and Justice Program visit to ATSILS

Last week students from QUT’s 2018 Indigenous Pre Law and Justice Program attended ATSILS Brisbane office to get first hand insight into the work we do advancing and protecting the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The students received a range of presentations covering on our innovative brand of legal service delivery, the critical role of our Court Support Officers in supporting the client/lawyer relationship and removing barriers affecting access to justice and also an overview of the work we do educating communities on their legal rights. The students were hosted by our Director of Communications and Sector Engagement – Graham, Early Intervention, Prevention and Community Legal Education Officer – Kate and Court Support Officer – Lesley. The students also had the opportunity to meet some of our legal practitioners and get insight into what it’s like working for a human rights based organisation like ATSILS.

Bianca Hill-Jarro – Indigenous Project Officer at QUT said “The visit to ATSILS has been welcomed addition to the program and offers something unique for the students. The students always really enjoy the visit and many are often interested in the career pathways offered by ATSILS.”

ATSILS is committed to inspiring the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lawyers and justice professionals and it was great to host these deadly young students looking to pursue careers in the justice sector.

ATSILS Logo

ATSILS Board meet with community in Mackay

ATSILS is dedicated to strengthening key partnerships in regional Queensland and last Friday our Board of Directors hosted a community meeting with key service providers in Mackay.

It was a great turn out and the Board were delighted to meet with the good people representing these organisations and agencies delivering vital services across the justice and community sectors.

The meeting was not only a good opportunity to get a better understanding of the current challenges and justices issues facing the local community. It also provided a great environment to come together and reaffirm our commitment to working more effectively together across sectors to address the complex challenges faced by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community caught up in the child protection, youth justice and criminal justice systems.

ATSILS Logo

Maroochydore Murri Court

Murri Court Maroochydore launchThis week a new Murri Court was launched in Gubbi Gubbi/Kabi Kabi country at Maroochydore Magistrates Court on the Sunshine Coast. It was great to come together with local Elders, community and legal fraternity to celebrate the official opening of this vitally important justice alternative.

Murri Court is a critical element in creating a more culturally responsive justice system. It is designed to link Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defendants to relative cultural and support services to help them make changes in their lives needed to break their cycle of offending.

Read Morehttp://bit.ly/2r3zKLD

 

 

 

Murri Court in the media:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-07/murri-court-look-inside-indigenous-queensland-court/8555416
https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/kev-rose-challenge-atsils/3186508/

 

What is Murri Court?

Find out more about Murri Court:
http://www.courts.qld.gov.au/courts/murri-court/about-murri-court