Happy International Human Rights Day!
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Happy International Human Rights Day!

Human Rights DayOn this day in 1948 the members of the United Nations General Assembly, including Australia, adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Fast forward to 2020, and in Queensland we now live in a State that has committed to putting people first through the introduction of the Queensland Human Rights Act 2019.

The historic Queensland Human Rights Act 2019 introduced by the Palaszczuk State Government draws on international human rights norms and recognises that every person has human rights and the right to enjoy them without discrimination.

Under the Act the distinct cultural rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are protected and Queensland is the first Australian jurisdiction to specifically list this right in legislation.

Understand your rights!

To access resources designed specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples visit The Queensland Human Rights Commission website.

https://www.qhrc.qld.gov.au/your-rights/for-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people

Putting People First

View the first Annual Report on the operation of the Queensland Human Rights Act

https://www.qhrc.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/29534/Human-Rights-Act-Annual-Report-2019-20.pdf

Murri Court – Explainer Video from QSAC.
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Murri Court – Explainer Video from QSAC.

Learn more about Murri Court with this great new explainer video from the Queensland Sentencing and Advisory Council. 

The Murri Court delivers a culturally appropriate court process that respects and acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

It is a combination of support, action and ownership that sees Elders and Respected people from the community work closely with the Murri Court magistrates, the defendant and their legal representatives to help keep families together and enable offenders to make better choices by addressing the underlying issues that contribute to their offending.

Doing Justice Differently focuses on informing Queenslanders about the specialist courts and programs. For more information visit:

https://www.sentencingcouncil.qld.gov.au/about-sentencing/doing-justice-differently/murri-court 

Licensing Muster Event – Bamaga (18th August 2020)
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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.
Thanks for all your support!
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Thanks for all your support!

Black Lives Matter - Donate to ATILS

Following the recent events and widespread/global coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement, the organisation has been in receipt of many donations and messages of support for the work we do for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and their families in Queensland.

For this we are very grateful and would like to sincerely thank each individual donor.

Your kind contribution will be utilised in  the following ways:

  • Care packages for clients in our Throughcare program which assists clients coming out of the criminal justice system to re-integrate into mainstream society – examples of items in a package include food items and clothing;
  • Community Legal education services – creating awareness  and education programs for our community across the state covering topical issues faced in each region and informing the community of their rights within the criminal justice system;
  • Public sector monitoring services – monitoring the progress of implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody as well as ongoing Deaths in custody matters;
  • Other day to day case costs and client support services provided by our offices across the state.

A full accounting for the utilisation of funds will be posted online at the end of the financial year 2020/2021.

Thank you again for your generous support.

Shane Duffy
Chief Executive Officer

MABO Day Celebration 2020 Are Going Virtual
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MABO Day Celebration 2020 Are Going Virtual

MEDIA RELEASE: SEQ MABO DAY WORKING GROUP: Celuia Mabo, Nancy Bamaga, Charles Passi, Leon Filewood, Murray Saylor, Daniel Tapau

MABO DAY CELEBRATIONS 2020 ARE GOING VIRTUAL!

We give our Love & Respect to the Traditional Owners, Custodians, Elders across these Lands

Due to the COVID-19, South East Queensland Mabo Day Celebrations are going VIRTUAL!

The MABO DAY CELEBRATIONS 2020 Facebook page will be the main portal for all events planned as a part of National Reconciliation Week. https://www.facebook.com/MaboDayCelebrations2020/

MABO DAY, on Wednesday June 3rd 2020, falls at the end of Reconciliation Week. The South East Queensland Mabo Day Working Group have partnered with National Reconciliation Week, Reconciliation Queensland (RQI), Arts Front, Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), Teralba Park Stolen Generations Support Group Inc, Digi Youth Arts and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to bring MABO DAY CELEBRATIONS 2020 – 28th Anniversary online.

 

Virtual Events include:  

Arts Front in conversation with Flo Watson OAM – Chairperson & Elder of Teralba Park Stolen Generations Support Group,

The Mabo Day Webinar with speakers including Charles Passi, Dr Rose Elu, Kevin Smith and Hannah Duncan

#MDC2020 Virtual Gathering with performances byJessie Lloyd, Rochelle Pitt, Chris Tamwoy and a very special shout out from the three-time Olympian and NBA Champion, Patty Mills

Digi Youth Arts bringing the voices of Torres Strait Islander youth to the front with a very special Mabo Day Virtual Event.

 

Please find the Media Release attached for the MABO DAY CELEBRATIONS 2020.

#MDC2020 – MEDIA RELEASE 2020

#MaboDay #MDC2020 #NRW2020 #InThisTogether

 

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Nancy Bamaga: SEQ Working Group: 0412 885 501 | nancy@bamagaproductions.com.au

Busty Beatz:  Social Media Co-ordinator on behalf of SEQ Mabo Day Working Group | 0404 406 645 | busty@hotbrownhoney.com

COVID-19 Impacts – SPER Debts and Programs
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COVID-19 Impacts – SPER Debts and Programs

serviceaccess_COVID19-and-SPER
SPER orders are continuing but SPER can delay payments or delay participation in programs like work and development orders.
SPER won’t take new enforcement action if they know people really can’t pay or do orders.
If you need to delay payments or work orders, you can ask SPER on their hotline 1300 365 635 or visit the website: qld.gov.au/sper.
You can also call ATSILS on 1800 012 255 for help with talking to SPER.
It is still a good idea to keep on top of your debt if you can pay. You can still make payments online and set up a payment plan by calling SPER on 1300 365 635 or by going on the website qld.gov.au/sper.
Sorry Business and Funerals During COVID-19
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Sorry Business and Funerals During COVID-19

 

*PLEASE NOTE: Information only current at time of publishing, for the latest information please visit: https://www.datsip.qld.gov.au/coronavirus/sorry-business-funerals

Funerals with more than ten people are not allowed under strict new controls to stop coronavirus.

Sorry Business and other cultural activities are very important. But it is more important at the moment to keep Elders — and others who are already ill — safe by not holding gatherings of more than a few people.

The Federal Government has banned large indoor and outdoor gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), and this includes sorry business and family gatherings such as wakes.

Travel restrictions are also in place across Queensland, so people will not be able to travel to attend gatherings.

Families need to talk about other ways they can conduct sorry business while restrictions are in place. There are some good recommendations in the resources below put together by the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships.

datsip_SorryBusiness_31_03_2020

datsip_sorrybusiness factsheet

Download PDF Posters and Fact Sheet:

DATSIP – Sorry – Business-Poster (PDF)

DATSIP – Sorry – Business- Fact Sheet (PDF)

 

Visit the DATSIP Site for more resources developed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak:

https://www.datsip.qld.gov.au/people-communities/sorry-business-funerals-during-coronavirus 

 

 

 

COVID-19 Response – Magistrates Court (Information and Practice Directions)
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COVID-19 Response – Magistrates Court (Information and Practice Directions)

Queensland Courts ARE open and hearing cases but with a number of operational changes.
 
Court Attendance
Queensland Health advise that people should stay at home if they are feeling unwell or have been overseas in the past 14 days.
 
If you consider that this advice applies to you, please DO NOT ATTEND a court location.
 
For Magistrates Court matters, defendants are encouraged to make use of electronic pleas of guilty and adjournments, where available. Guidelines for court arrangements in various Magistrates Courts are now available. If you are a party to proceedings, you should contact your legal representative or the court via telephone or email. See Courthouse contacts contained in the linked web page below.
 
These measures will assist in reducing the potential for transmission of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
 
Queensland Courts will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 advice being provided by health authorities and act accordingly.
 
For the latest updates from Queensland Health, visit the Queensland Health Website.
https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19
 
 
Practice Direction 3 of 2020 – Court arrangements (COVID-19)
https://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/643581/mc-pd-3of2020.pdf
 
Practice Direction 4 of 2020 – Court arrangements (COVID-19 in the Childrens Court when constituted by a Magistrate
https://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/643610/cc-mc-pd-4of2020.pdf
Current Access to ATSILS Legal Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic
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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:
ATSILS suspends the delivery of face to face legal services in response to the heightening risk that COVID-19 poses to staff and communities.
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ATSILS suspends the delivery of face to face legal services in response to the heightening risk that COVID-19 poses to staff and communities.

FacebookCOVID19_MediaReleaseWith the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to rise in Queensland, The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) LTD (ATSILS) will enact further service delivery adjustments to help protect our workforce and communities. As of the 26/03/2020, ATSILS advises that it will cease all face to face lawyer/client contact and workshops with community groups. Wherever possible, information and communication technology resources will be utilised to facilitate the continued delivery of essential legal assistance services to our clients.
ATSILS CEO Shane Duffy said, “we have a duty to protect our workforce and the communities we serve from the heightening risk of COVID-19 infection. This unprecedented measure has been made primarily in accordance with our duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, which requires our organisation to provide a safe workplace and a safe system of work to ensure the health and safety of our staff.”

“ATSILS has also advised the Chief Magistrate of the decision to cease face-to-face services.”

“ATSILS is well into enacting our contingency actions from our COVID-19 Response Plan. We are working daily with our Board of Directors, State and Federal Government, Queensland Courts and the organisations health advisors. Most organisations around the world are undertaking these steps to limit the threat to staff and their communities”, Mr Duffy said.

Earlier today Mr Duffy advised ATSILS staff of the additional precautionary measures that would be put into place. Staff have been transitioned to work from home arrangements where possible and will utilise telephone, internet, intranet and video-link options to facilitate the ongoing delivery of legal services to clients during this time of rapid change and uncertainty.

ATSILS wishes all staff and communities the best of health and encourages all to remain vigilant with self-care, social distancing, self-isolation where relevant, and to follow increased hygiene practices both personally and in the environments in which you live and work.  As the impact of the virus in Queensland changes, advice will also change quickly, so it is important to get up-to-date health and safety advice from credible sources. We recommend following updates from: Queensland Health, Australian Department of Health, and the World Health Organisation.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service will continue to monitor the situation related to COVID-19 and update staff, clients, community and stakeholders of any further service delivery adjustments accordingly.

Download/Print Media Release (PDF)

For further information regarding access to legal services during this time please contact an ATSILS office in your region: https://atsils.org.au/contact/

Email: info@atsils@org.au

Call: 1800 012 255 – Free call 24/7 for urgent criminal law matters.

Media Contact for Mr Shane Duffy:
Joshua.herd@atsils.org.au