Workplace Gender Equality Authority Employer Statement

WORKPLACE GENDER EQUALITY AUTHORITY (WGEA) EMPLOYER STATEMENT 2026 

 ATSILS is committed to continuing to foster a culture of gender equality.  We provide equal opportunities, fair treatment, and an inclusive environment for all employees, regardless of gender. By promoting diversity and reducing any gender biases, we aim to create a workplace where everyone can excel and contribute to our collective success. 

 ATSIILS actively monitors and reviews workforce composition, remuneration, leadership representation, flexible work arrangements, and employment conditions regardless of gender. 

We are focused on: 

  • Providing equal remuneration for work of equal or comparable value 
  • Ensuring fair and transparent recruitment, promotion, and performance management processes 
  • Supporting flexible working arrangements to assist employees in balancing work and caring responsibilities 
  • Preventing discrimination, harassment, and victimisation in all forms 
  • Fostering a safe workplace culture that values diversity, respect, and inclusion 

Our commitment and focus are embedded into our relevant policies, practises, and decision-making processes. 

Workplace Gender Equality Authority Employer Statement – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) Ltd

 

Community Legal Education (CLE) delivered to COOEE Elders

ATSILS CLE Cooee EldersLast week, ATSILS lawyers Pree Sharma and Natasha Goddard traveled to Cleveland on Quandamooka Country to deliver a Community Legal Education (CLE) session for COOEE Elders.

The session focused on the essential pillars of future planning:

  • Wills
  • Enduring Powers of Attorney
  • Binding Nominations for Superannuation

It was an engaging session filled with robust discussion. The Elders’ interest and thoughtful questions highlighted the critical importance of proactive legal planning and ensuring one’s affairs are in order.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Aunty Margie and the COOEE Elders team for their invaluable partnership in coordinating this visit.

Education is at the heart of empowerment. ATSILS remains committed to providing accessible legal support to the community. We offer free and confidential services for these matters. If you or your community or organisation would like to learn more, please reach out to our team.

#AccessToJustice #CommunityLegalEducation #ATSILS

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

🎥 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.

 

Recent Office Moves – We’re Growing to Better Serve Our Communities!
ATSILS QLD Office LocationATSILS is proud to maintain a statewide network of regional and satellite offices, providing vital criminal, civil, and family law services across Queensland.
Beyond legal representation, we are committed to holistic support through our key programs: ✅ Throughcare Services (Rehabilitation & Reintegration) ✅ Community Legal Education ✅ Coronial & Public Sector Monitoring
To keep up with our growing team and services, several of our teams moved into new spaces in late 2025! If you are looking for us in Cairns, Townsville, Maroochydore, Hervey Bay, or Normanton, please note our locations have changed.
🔗 Check our updated contact details here: www.atsils.org.au/contact/
📞 We are available 24/7 for urgent criminal law matters on 1800 012 255.
View our latest Submissions

Our Latest Submissions

2026

PDF Submission 2026 Youth Justice (Electronic Monitoring) Amendment Bill 2025

 

2025

PDF Submission 2025 Senate Inquiry No. 2 into Australia’s YJ and Incarceration System

PDF Submission 2025 Review of the Disability Discrimination Act (Cth)

PDF Submission 2025 Review of the Crime and Corruption Commission’s Activities

 

To view all of ATSILS Submissions, please visit: Submissions – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) Ltd

Murri Christmas from the ATSILS Team! 🎄 | Holiday Hours & Office Updates

We wish you a very Murri Christmas and all the very best for the summer holidays and the New Year.

To our funding bodies and the many community, partner, and stakeholder organisations we’ve had the pleasure of working with this year: thank you. Your continued support throughout 2025 has been vital to our work, and we look forward to walking alongside you again in 2026.

🎄 Christmas Holiday Reduced Office Hours: Our offices will operate with reduced hours over the break; however, we will still have a rostered on-call team available.
• Reduced Hours: Monday, 22nd Dec 2025 – Monday, 5th Jan 2026.
• For urgent matters, call us on our Freecall 24/7 number: 1800 012 255.

📍 Office Moves! It’s been a busy year of growth! We’d like to remind our community that several of our offices have relocated in the second half of 2025. Please check our contacts page https://atsils.org.au/contact/ for updated addresses for our Cairns, Townsville, Maroochydore, and Normanton offices.

Once again, Merry Christmas, stay safe, and stay deadly!