Queensland Legal Assistance Forum

Thursday 19 March 2015

Attendees: / Liza Windle (Chair), Jessica Kang
Mary Burgess, Rosemarie Coxon,
Michelle Emeleus
Greg Shadbolt
Sue Garlick, Karen Dyhrberg
Julia Connelly / Department of Justice
Legal Aid Queensland
QIFVLS
ATSILS
QPILCH
Queensland Law Society
Video-link
Minutes: / Robyn Martin
Ruth Toomey
Cristy Dieckmann
Esther Bogaart, Brittany Quayle, Sherilyn Atkinson
Sarah Haworth / Bar Association of Queensland
QCOSS
QAILS
Cwlth Attorney General’s Department
Legal Aid Queensland
Apologies / Noela L’Estrange, Binny De Saram
Dennis Lim
Mark Henley
Anthony Reilly
Shane Duffy / Queensland Law Society
Department of Human Services
QCOSS
Legal Aid Queensland
ATSILS
Agenda item / Confirmation of minutes & actions from the previous meeting
The minutes were confirmed. All actions from the November meeting have been completed.
Agenda item / Queensland platform for legal information resources
Karen gave a demonstration of the legal information resource being developed by QPILCH. The web application will be a ‘wiki’, which allows for agile, easy to access information with simplified editing functions.
It was noted that there are a number of legal information resource sites, including the QLAF website, which is scheduled for a revamp as part of Legal Aid Queensland’s web redevelopment project.
It was noted that there should be one place for all Queensland CLE materials.
Action:
Action: / QPILCH will continue to explore the functionality of the wiki and provide an update at the next meeting.
LAQ will provide an update on the revamp of the QLAF website, as part of Legal Aid Queensland’s web redevelopment project.
Agenda
item / Feedback on project suggestion forms.
Four project suggestions have been received. Three of these were presented to QLAF by representatives from the organisations responsible for completing the project suggestion forms. This course of action was approved by QLAF at a previous meeting.
a.  Queensland Law Handbook online and legal information project
Mark Thomas, the president of Caxton Legal Centre, gave an overview of the project to develop an electronic version of the Queensland Law Handbook. QLAF noted its potential contribution to systemic efficiency (assisting to meet the legal needs of people who can self-help, allowing other resources to be freed up to attend to clients with more complex circumstances).
QLAF supports the project suggestion. It will be referred to the LPITAF Committee for consideration.
b.  Men’s court information and referral service
QLAF acknowledged that, although the project did not meet the investment criteria, information and referral services for men involved in domestic and family violence matters were of significant priority (recommended by the Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland).
DJAG will enquire whether funding or other valuable linkages might be available under other Queensland Government programs.
The project suggestion will be referred to the LPITAF Committee for consideration.
c.  Community legal centre evaluation toolkit
Cristy Dieckmann gave an overview of the project suggestion. Following discussions it was determined that the project suggestion will be revised to focus on research and consultation with the community legal sector to source any existing evaluation methodologies. Further research could then be undertaken to ascertain best practice in evaluating services.
QLAF supports the project suggestion, subject to the changes discussed. The revised project suggestion will be referred to the LPITAF Committee for consideration.
d.  Best practice in collaborative service delivery – mental health law
Sue Garlick gave an overview of the project suggestion. It was noted that this is a redrafted version of the project suggestion form originally submitted at the QLAF in November 2014 (redrafted to incorporate QLAF feedback). The redrafted version has been prepared in full consultation with Queensland Advocacy Inc (QAI).
The project suggestion form will be edited to put greater emphasis on the focus of the project, i.e. clients with mental health needs, and will then be referred to the LPITAF Committee.
QLAF supports the project suggestion, subject to the changes discussed. The revised project suggestion will be referred to the LPITAF Committee for consideration.
Agenda item / National legal assistance reforms.
The Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department has been conducting ‘in confidence and without prejudice’ discussions with States and Territories and is aiming to have an amended version of the future funding agreement ready for distribution by the end of the week. The department is conscious of the high level of uncertainty within the sector and plans to have settled the content of the agreement prior to budget on 12th May. Funding allocations need to be considered and approved by cabinet prior to any details being released and this will not happen prior to budget night.
The department’s willingness to consult with the State and incorporate feedback was acknowledged.
State and Territory Attorneys-General have recently written to their federal counterpart requesting that he reverse funding cuts to legal aid and community legal centres. They have also asked for proposed funding allocations by no later than March 31, good faith negotiations and funding increases that reflect population increases.
The Commonwealth confirmed that the letter is currently under consideration and a response will be forthcoming.
Agenda item / Homelessness, planning and coordination.
Ruth gave an overview of Home for Good, which is a project funded by the Department of Housing and Public Works, as part of the Queensland Government’s Homeless to Housing Strategy 2020. QCOSS has been working with volunteers and local community organisations to create a register of people who are experiencing homelessness. To date they have surveyed approximately 3000 people, which represents about 15% of the total number of people identified as homeless in the 2011 census.
The aim is to move from the current ‘housing ready’ model to a ‘housing first’ approach where a person’s primary need to obtain stable housing is met, and other issues will then be addressed once permanent housing is obtained.
Agenda item / Feedback on Legal Assistance Forum reports
Reports on the specialist and regional legal assistance forums have been circulated and the contents noted.
Agenda item / Next meeting
The date of the next meeting will be in late June. The date will be advised in due course.

TRIM no 2015/154200

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