Attorney-General George Brandis has announced that $25.5 million of proposed cuts to frontline legal assistance services will not go ahead. This includes restoring funding of $11.5 million for Indigenous legal assistance over the next two years. This announcement provides much needed relief for the most vulnerable in our community and the restoration of funding provides a level of much needed certainty for organisations operating within the legal assistance sector.
ATSILS welcomes the responsible approach taken by the Federal Government to reverse the massive cuts which would have had dire impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We thank the Attorney General for listening to the widespread concerns expressed by the legal fraternity, community services sector and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
ATSILS pays tribute to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services around the nation and the vital work of our peak body NATSILS in bringing widespread attention to the serious social and economic consequences that would have resulted from the proposed cuts. The value of our highly specialized services has been advocated by many and we thank our committed staff, the broader legal fraternity and community services sector for their support throughout an extended period of uncertainty.
Whilst we celebrate the level of relief this news brings, were are ever mindful of the crisis rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment and family violence currently gripping the nation. There is plenty more critical work to be done to change culture and address these national crises. In face of this we join the national call for the Government to heed the Productivity Commission’s Access to Justice Arrangements report which called for a further $200m investment into the legal assistance sector, including the Family Violence Prevention Legal Services.
In the meantime we continue to get on with what we do best – providing innovative, professional and culturally competent legal services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Queensland.
NATSILS MEDIA RELEASE: NATSILS welcomes the reversal of funding cuts
http://www.natsils.org.au/portals/natsils/26%20March%20NATSILS%20Reversal%20of%20Cuts.pdf
Attorney General’s MEDIA RELEASE: Legal aid funding assured to support the most vulnerable in our community
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/…/26-March-2015-Legal-aid…
CUTS TO LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO BE REVERSED! – Great relief for the most vulnerable in our community!
Attorney-General George Brandis has announced that $25.5 million of proposed cuts to frontline legal assistance services will not go ahead. This includes restoring funding of $11.5 million for Indigenous legal assistance over the next two years. This announcement provides much needed relief for the most vulnerable in our community and the restoration of funding provides a level of much needed certainty for organisations operating within the legal assistance sector.
ATSILS welcomes the responsible approach taken by the Federal Government to reverse the massive cuts which would have had dire impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We thank the Attorney General for listening to the widespread concerns expressed by the legal fraternity, community services sector and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
ATSILS pays tribute to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services around the nation and the vital work of our peak body NATSILS in bringing widespread attention to the serious social and economic consequences that would have resulted from the proposed cuts. The value of our highly specialized services has been advocated by many and we thank our committed staff, the broader legal fraternity and community services sector for their support throughout an extended period of uncertainty.
Whilst we celebrate the level of relief this news brings, were are ever mindful of the crisis rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment and family violence currently gripping the nation. There is plenty more critical work to be done to change culture and address these national crises. In face of this we join the national call for the Government to heed the Productivity Commission’s Access to Justice Arrangements report which called for a further $200m investment into the legal assistance sector, including the Family Violence Prevention Legal Services.
In the meantime we continue to get on with what we do best – providing innovative, professional and culturally competent legal services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Queensland.
NATSILS MEDIA RELEASE: NATSILS welcomes the reversal of funding cuts
http://www.natsils.org.au/portals/natsils/26%20March%20NATSILS%20Reversal%20of%20Cuts.pdf
Attorney General’s MEDIA RELEASE: Legal aid funding assured to support the most vulnerable in our community
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/…/26-March-2015-Legal-aid…
In the lead up to Attorney General Brandis’ announcement that proposed funding cuts to Indigenous legal services would be reversed, our national peak body NATSILS was among 26 leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, health, community and peak legal organisations to write an open letter to the PM to reverse funding cuts to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services.
See the Open Letter via NATSILS website:
http://www.natsils.org.au/portals/natsils/Open%20Letter%20to%20PM_25.03.14.pdf
Prisoner Throughcare Program: aiming to reduce recidivism & incarceration rates
Reducing recidivism & incarceration rates by supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners.
This week the ATSILS’ Prisoner Throughcare staff are meeting with staff from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and a team from Harvard University. The team from Harvard are conducting research into the effectiveness of Prisoner Throughcare services and will be visiting our Brisbane, Ipswich and Townsville offices.
Photo (L to R): Gregory Shadbolt (Principal Legal Officer – ATSILS), Gerald Warner (Senior Prisoner Throughcare Officer – ATSILS), Bec (Harvard University), Catherine Marks (Prime Minister & Cabinet) & Michael (Harvard University)
More information on ATSILS’ Prisoner Throughcare Program
Paying for Funerals – ASIC Money Smart Resource
Money Smart Video: Understanding Funeral Plans
More Information and Resources
View more ASIC Money Smart Resources written specifically for Aboriginal & Torres Islander people.
ASIC Indigenous Help Line
Be Smart Buy Smart: Understand Your Rights as a Consumer – ASIC Money Smart Resource
More Information and Resources
View more ASIC Money Smart Resources written specifically for Aboriginal & Torres Islander people.
ASIC Indigenous Help Line
Flood and cyclone legal help for Queenslanders
Visit the Legal Aid Queensland – Flood and Cyclone Legal Help site for information and resources or call 1300 65 11 88
Continuing Professional Development page
View our Continuing Professional Development page to view upcoming events in February and March 2015
NEWS: Closing the Gap – The Prime Minister’s Report 2015
Publication abstract:
This is the seventh Closing the Gap Report produced since targets were set by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in 2008. The report shows that although there has been some improvement in education and health outcomes for Indigenous Australians, most Closing the Gap targets are not on track to be met. The Government is continuing to focus on reform of Indigenous affairs and the positive impact that this will have on the Closing the Gap targets. There is a strong emphasis on practical actions to get kids to school, adults into work, make communities safer and advancing constitutional recognition.
Closing the Gap – The Prime Minister’s Report 2015
NEWS: Close the Gap – Progress and priorities report 2015
In the spirit of an open and constructive dialogue between government, the wider community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the Close the Gap Campaign annually produces this progress and priorities report alongside the Prime Minister’s report.
Close the Gap – Progress and priorities report 2015
NEWS: AHRC Social Justice and Native Title Report 2014
ATSILS welcomes the “Creating safe communities” recommendations outlined by Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda in his Social Justice and Native Title Report 2014.
These recommendations are listed as:
Recommendation 1: The Australian Government revises its current position on targets as part of Closing the Gap, to include holistic justice targets aimed at promoting safer communities.
Recommendation 2: The Australian Government actively consults and works with the National Justice Coalition on justice related issues.
Recommendation 3: The Australian Government takes a leadership role on justice reinvestment and works with states, territories and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to identify further trial sites