ATSILS seeks skilled Legal Practitioners in Family Law to join our statewide team. You will join a flexible and supportive work environment with dedicated team members that allow for diverse casework. Currently, we have positions in Cairns, Hervey Bay and Ipswich.
Applications close mid-November 2023
Please visit our vacancies page to find out more or to make an application.
ATSILS is seeking a well-qualified Human Resources Manager to join our Brisbane team.
You will be uniquely positioned to provide services to a thriving social justice workforce across Queensland. At least five years’ experience in Management and/or consulting is required.
Interviews will commence in November, commencement December or early January after our Christmas break by 10th January 2024.
Please visit our vacancies page to find out more or to make an application.
Overview:
Throughout 2022 & 2023 ATSILS (QLD) had to make the difficult decision to temporarily suspend a range of services in several regions. The regions affected included Cairns, Townsville, Mt Isa, Maroochydore, Rockhampton, Brisbane, Beenleigh, Strathpine, Rockhampton and Ipswich (Richlands).
Due to additional funding provided by the Queensland Government, ATSILS (QLD) has been able to successfully recruit a number of new staff to mitigate most of the service suspensions in these regions. Below is a short update relevant to each location.
Cairns
Update September 2023: Cairns remains our greatest challenge due to a combination of factors. At this stage, the current temporary service suspensions are likely to continue at least until the end of October.
Rockhampton
Update September 2023: Rockhampton remains a significant challenge due to a scarcity of prospective recruits in or into the region. At this stage, the current temporary service suspensions will continue until at least the end of October – possibly longer.
Townsville
Update September 2023: Due to successful recruitment initiatives in this region, all service suspensions are expected to be lifted as of the end of September.
Brisbane Office
Update September 2023: Due to successful recruitment initiatives in this region, all service suspensions are expected to be lifted as of the end of September.
Maroochydore
Update September 2023: An additional legal practitioner allocated to Maroochydore out of the funding commences at the end of October – so it is likely that the temporary suspensions out of this office will need to remain in place at least until then.
Mount Isa
Update September 2023: All service suspensions were lifted at the end of August.
Ipswich
Update September 2013: Due to recent successful recruitments – the temporary service suspension (Richlands Courthouse) will end as of the 9th of October.
Beenleigh and Strathpine
Prior Suspensions – since lifted (Update September 2023: no changes – no suspensions in place).
In conclusion
ATSILS (QLD) received excellent funding outcome news in mid-June. This has seen a significant increase in staff morale and our retention and recruitment. We cannot thank the Attorney, the associated departmental staff, and all others concerned, enough.
An additional $9.165 million in funding will be provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) Ltd (ATSILS) by the Queensland State Government for the 2023/24 financial year. The additional funds will be used to increase service delivery capacity and to implement a more competitive salary structure across every position within the business.
ATSILS CEO Shane Duffy said, “We welcome this response from the State Government who have been acutely aware of the funding crisis causing temporary service suspensions and negatively impacting access to justice in a number of locations across Queensland.”…
Date: 23 June 2023
ATSILS CEO Shane Duffy, & our Director of Sector Engagement and Communications, Graham White were in Cairns last week and enjoyed a catch-up with previous ATSILS employee C’Zarke Maza, who is now the inaugural Commissioner – Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa (Torres Strait Islander Traditional Child Rearing Practice).
C’Zarke was a much-valued member of the ATSILS family and spent over 10 years with us as a legal practitioner and as the Regional Manager of our Thursday Island Office. During his time with ATSILS, C’Zarke worked tirelessly to enhance access to justice for the most remote communities throughout the Torres Strait Islands and Northern Peninsula Area regions. He successfully established collaborative partnerships with communities, key government and non-government stakeholders to influence positive change and enhance the delivery of high-quality legal services to these regions.
In recognition of his important contribution to ATSILS history of service, the executive took the opportunity to present C’Zarke with a 50-year commemorative polo shirt while in Cairns.
Congratulations to Akotapu Paongu who has graduated as one of our Client Services Trainees in Brisbane,
While undertaking her traineeship with ATSILS, Akotapu Paongu also took the initiative to become a Justice of the Peace as was sworn in at the Brisbane Courts just over a year ago. Since then she has been delivering JP services to support the team from our reception in Brisbane.
We congratulate Akotapu on all her achievements and great work and we wish her all the best on her journey ahead with ATSILS.
This week our Principal Legal Officer, Greg Shadbolt attended a ceremony to mark the raising of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags outside the QEII Courts of Law Complex in Brisbane.
The event was held on 09/02/2023 and presided over by Her Honour, Chief Justice Helen Bowskill. The raising of the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag acknowledges the original owners and custodians of the land and waters in and around the whole of the State of Queensland.
From 09/02/2023 forward, the flags will permanently fly alongside the Australian and Queensland flags as a symbol of recognition and respect and to recognise our shared history.
Our staff have been working tirelessly over the past month to transition all of our communication resources to the new branding and from this date forward we will operate under a new logo and visual identity.
In December 1972 we opened the doors of our first office in George St, Brisbane. This week to mark our 50th anniversary, CEO Shane Duffy launched – ‘ATSILS History Timeline’ to staff and key stakeholders.
‘ATSILS History Timeline’ is an interactive web resource and can be viewed at: https://history.atsils.org.au
The timeline maps our justice journey beginning with the organisation’s founding by grassroots community and legal volunteers responding to injustice in 1972. From there it winds through the last five decades of Queensland’s socio-political landscape, along the way highlighting key milestones important to our growth and communicating our future vision.
From modest beginnings in early 1972, ATSILS has grown into a state-wide service with over 250 staff and twenty-five offices across the state.
ATSILS growth and development would not have been possible without the support of our diverse communities, as well as the dedicated services of countless board and staff members throughout the decades and there are more stories to tell. So please note that the initial publication of our timeline is only the start. Over the next 12 months, the site will continually evolve and give voice to more of our communities and sister organisations so important to our story.
We’d like to thank everyone who joined us at the launch in person and online, it was great to share the occasion with you.