One of the most rewarding things about working for legal aid is the ability to help disadvantaged and vulnerable people. We are a check and balance that prevent injustice to people who might otherwise be unable to advocate for themselves.
Working in a regional office has a lot more benefits than working in the city. You're exposed to different magistrates, different judges, different stakeholders, different ways that courts operate. You used to have to move back to Brisbane to progress your career, but now we've got a number of different positions that you can climb. I'm still quite early in my career and I'm already sitting in a principal lawyer position and that opportunity only arose from being in a regional office. Regional offices often provide greater opportunities for exposure to a greater range of things and services that we deliver solely because there are less people on the ground.
Part of our work in the Cairns office we provide duty lawyer and case management services as far as Innisfail to the Torres Strait. And I remember the very first time that I flew in a small charter plane to the Aboriginal community of Aurukun and just thinking how amazing it was that this service is provided and that that's something that we could offer to people who are really disadvantaged.
Firstly, Legal Aid is a great organization. There's excellent work life balance and the work that you do gives you a lot of career satisfaction, but Cairns in particular is really special. There are opportunities to work in amazing places and have experiences that you wouldn't normally have. It's just so easy. You can be home in 10 to 15 minutes. I can say to you that I do not miss my 45 to 55 minute commute to work in Brisbane every day. I find that it's really good for your mental health as well. Uh because you're not surrounded by big buildings like you are in the city. The opportunities are endless in a region and I would encourage anyone who's considering applying. You'll find that it has a massive impact on your career.