Report card 2018–18 annual report

Queensland Government community objectives

• Be a responsive government
• Keep communities safe

Our services

• Community legal education and information—through our website, publications, community legal education activities, statewide contact centre and customer service counters
• Legal advice and task assistance—over the phone, by video-link or face-to-face
• Duty lawyer services—in criminal, family, domestic violence, child protection, anti-discrimination, employment and administrative law
• Lawyer assisted dispute resolution—for families facing separation, and for consumers and farmers
• Representation in courts and tribunals—including criminal law, family law, child protection, domestic violence, mental health and some civil law matters.

Performance indicators

• Progress towards Queensland and Commonwealth Government targets
• Audit outcomes demonstrate quality services
• Client survey shows high levels of client satisfaction
• Disadvantaged clients are able to access services
• Participation in collaboration processes and developing policy
• High levels of staff satisfaction
• Maintain a safe workforce
• Responsible budget management
• Business support projects completed.

Outcomes

• Achieved Commonwealth Government (National Partnership Agreement on Legal Assistance Services) targets (see Table 3 in Our performance).
• Achieved Queensland Government targets (see Table 4 in Our performance).
• Conducted targeted compliance activity and full file audits throughout the year, and identified and actioned improvement opportunities.
• The bi-annual client survey was not conducted in 2018–19. It will be conducted in early 2019–20.
• Ensured clients from key disadvantaged groups were able to access our services (see Table 6 in Our performance ).
• Provided 33 policy/law reform responses and contributed to three National Legal Aid submissions to government.
• 86 percent of Employee Opinion Survey respondents reported high levels of satisfaction with Legal Aid Queensland.
• Provided psychological wellness, and health and wellbeing programs for staff (see Our performance for more detail).
• Financial position remains healthy (see Financial overview in Financial overview).
• Completed business support projects.

Priorities for the future

• Continue to provide quality cost effective legal services statewide.
• Pilot the Client Assistance Service for vulnerable clients.
• Start trialling lawyer assisted mediation for family law property matters.
• Administer the legal representation for parties subject to the ban on cross examination in family law matters.
• Roll out the Youth Practitioner Certification Program to in-house lawyers and preferred suppliers across the state.
• Improve service delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Increase fees paid to duty lawyers and practitioners who do legal aid work.
• Continue to pursue our goal of Legal Aid Queensland being a ‘centre of excellence’.
• Continue to build a health and wellbeing program for our staff.
• Upgrade our standard operating environment to Windows 10 and Office 365.
• Replace our key business systems LAQ Office and Grants Online.