In 2006, Legal Aid Queensland appointed a strategic policy coordinator to enhance Legal Aid's profile in government, and to establish the organisation as a 'policy dialog leader' within government and the community.
The strategic policy coordinator's role involves:
- building on the organisation's existing policy development capacity
- fostering networks and liaising with relevant government departments at a strategic level, with the aim being to enhance our 'voice' early on in significant policy reform initiatives
- proactively identify policy problems affecting our client base and seek support for potential solutions to improve legislation or services
- ensuring a strategic, coordinated, dynamic and responsive approach to policy is taken to assist the organisation achieve its mission to enhance access to justice
- influencing policy decisions at an early stage to optimise and protect the position of our clients and services
- ensuring the financial implications of policy decisions affecting Legal Aid Queensland are identified and addressed in the policy development process
- formally engaging with government departments to progress our policy agenda.
Lawyers Tracey de Simone and Mary Burgess share this essential role. Together, they have been advancing Legal Aid Queensland's view on law reform proposals, advocating with government departments on issues affecting clients, and liaising with key stakeholders and justice system agencies.
The strategic policy coordinators work closely with our senior managers, senior legal consultants and access strategies, as well as state and federal government departments and independent government agencies who deliver related services and influence policy. They also work with key teams within the organisation to respond to, and advocate on, significant law reform issues.
Our key state government stakeholders are:
We have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, which acknowledges our relationship and addresses information sharing and confidentiality.
We acknowledge Legal Aid Queensland's role is only one element of the service delivery matrix providing legal aid services to disadvantaged Queenslanders. As such, the strategic policy coordinator works closely with key partners in the legal and community sector to ensure the realities of our clients are communicated throughout government.
Our partners include:
- community legal centres
- preferred suppliers
- Queensland Law Society
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services
- community agencies supporting clients who access our services.
Mary Burgess
(Mon-Wed)
Mary brings a wealth of expertise from her time working in policy in the Department of Premier and Cabinet and in the Research and Prevention Division of the former Criminal Justice Commission.
Tracey de Simone
(Wed-Fri)
Tracey is the former head of Women's Legal Aid and has worked in the domestic violence legislation unit of the Department of Communities as well as private practice.