Corporate governance is the system by which our organisation is managed, directed and held accountable.
Sound corporate governance ensures we:
- achieve our strategic objectives
- remain accountable for our decisions and actions
- fulfil legal requirements
- comply with privacy obligations
- ensure the Legal Aid Queensland Act’s requirements and philosophy are met
- manage risks effectively
- monitor, report on and evaluate our performance
- contribute to the Queensland Government’s objectives for the community and meet community expectations.
Our corporate governance structure provides leadership in achieving our strategic and operational objectives (see Figure 1 for more information).
Figure 1. Corporate governance structure
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Queensland Government
- Item 2 is on same level
- Item 3 reports to this item
-
Australian Government
-
Attorney General
- item 4 reports to this item
-
Legal Aid Queensland Board
- Items 5, 6, and 7 report to this item
-
First Nations Advisory Committee
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Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee
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Chief Executive Officer
- Item 8 reports to this item
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Executive Leadership Team
- Items 9, 10, 11 and 12 report to this item
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Work, Health and Safety Committee
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Finance and Governance Committee
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Senior Leaders Group
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Agency Consultative Committee
Legal Aid Queensland Board
The Legal Aid Queensland Board (the board) is responsible for governing Legal Aid Queensland and ensuring the organisation achieves its objectives. The board is our organisation’s governing body and is responsible to the Attorney-General.
The board decides the organisation’s priorities and strategies, leads policy direction and ensures sound and prudent financial management.
The board usually has 5 members. Each member has specific knowledge or experience that helps in the organisation’s management. The areas of expertise include public administration, financial management, and law and legal services provision. The board is headed by a chairperson, who is appointed by the Governor in Council. Board members are appointed by the Governor in Council usually for 3-year terms (see Table 1 for more information). The chief executive officer (CEO), senior executive directors and chief finance officer (CFO) are invited to attend all board meetings. Senior Leaders Group members also attend as needed to present papers and discuss issues with the board.
Board members
The Hon Paul de Jersey AC CVO KC
Board chairperson since February 2025
Former Chief Justice and Governor of Queensland, the Hon Paul de Jersey AC CVO KC, began his legal career with a call to the Bar in 1971 before taking silk in 1981 and being appointed to the Supreme Court in 1985. He was Chief Justice of Queensland from 1998 until 2014 when he was appointed as Queensland Governor.
Paul has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to charitable and community work over many decades, including as president of the Australian Cancer Society and chair of the Queensland Cancer Fund. He was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in recognition of his extensive community involvement in 2000.
Marjorie Daley
Board Member since February 2026
Marjorie is a barrister at the private Bar in Queensland, with extensive experience representing parties in litigation, including those under legal incapacity. She is regularly briefed by government agencies and brings a deep understanding of complex matters. Hailing from North West Queensland, Marjorie has a strong commitment to addressing regional issues, particularly improving access to justice. Prior to becoming a barrister in 2021, Marjorie held senior legal roles in law firms across Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and in England. In these roles, she represented federal and state government departments and agencies, gaining significant expertise in public sector work. In addition to her legal practice, Marjorie serves as a non-executive director of Sunwater, a Queensland Government owned corporation.
Andrew Knox
Board Member since February 2026
Andrew is a highly experienced corporate lawyer and commercial advisor with over 40 years of expertise in corporate governance, risk management and the responsibilities of non-executive directors across both commercial and not-for-profit sectors. A fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Andrew combines his legal acumen with a strong foundation in economics and business, holding degrees in law and economics, as well as a Master of Business Administration. He brings valuable financial and strategic insights to board discussions.
Tanya Diessel
Board Member since February 2026
Tanya is the CEO of the Gold Coast Community Legal Centre and an admitted solicitor with 15 years’ experience in the community legal sector. She has dedicated her career to improving access to justice for people facing disadvantage, working closely with individuals and communities experiencing challenges and vulnerabilities such as domestic and family violence, housing insecurity, financial hardship, disability and social exclusion. Tanya is passionate about trauma-informed, community-responsive practice and believes in building services that are compassionate, practical and grounded in the real experiences of the people they support. Her leadership is values-driven and focused on creating meaningful, lasting impact for vulnerable and marginalised communities.
Darren Robinson
Board Member since March 2026
Darren Robinson has over 30 years’ experience in the criminal justice system. A former detective sergeant with the Queensland Police Service, he is now the principal of Salt Legal, a dedicated criminal law practice in Townsville. Salt Legal has a strong track record of representing vulnerable clients and achieving positive outcomes in complex cases. Darren is frequently sought after for his expertise in providing detailed advice on search warrants, disclosure obligations and case strategy.
Table 1. Legal Aid Queensland Board information 2024–25
|
Act or instrument
|
Legal Aid Queensland Act 1997
|
|
Functions
|
Responsible for governing Legal Aid Queensland and ensuring the organisation achieves its objectives. The board decides the organisation’s priorities and strategies, leads policy direction and ensures sound and prudent financial management.
|
|
Achievements
|
Key achievements included:
- approved the Modern Slavery Statement 2024–25
- approved the 2024–25 financial statements
- approved the delegation of authority to the CEO to approve changes to Legal Aid Queensland forms
- approved Legal Aid Queensland’s 2025–26 revised income statement and budget adjustment
- approved to sell the head office at 44 Herschel Street Brisbane in line with the Legal Aid Queensland Workplace Strategy 2025–30.
|
|
Financial reporting
|
Not exempted from Audit by the Auditor-General and transactions of the entity are accounted for in the financial statements.
|
Remuneration
|
|
Position
|
Name
|
Meetings/sessions a attendance
|
Approved annual, sessional or daily fee $
|
Approved sub-committee fees if applicable $
|
Actual fees received $
|
|
Board chairperson, First Nations Committee member
|
Paul de Jersey AC CVO KC
|
15 (10 board meetings and 5 sub-committee meetings)
|
35,000
|
- |
26,610.77
|
|
Board Member, Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee Chairperson
|
Andrew Knox
|
5 (4 board meetings, 1 sub-committee meeting)
|
15,000
|
2,500
|
6,666.66
|
|
Board Member, First Nations Advisory Committee chairperson
|
Tanya Diessel
|
6 (5 board meetings, 1 sub-committee meeting) |
15,000
|
2,500 |
6,200.00 |
|
Board Member, Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee Member
|
Marjorie Daley
|
5 (4 board meetings, 1 sub-committee meeting) |
15,000 |
2,000 |
6,121.45 |
|
Board Member
|
Darren Robinson
|
4 (board meetings) |
15,000
|
- |
5,000.00 |
|
Board Member, Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee Chairperson, First Nations Advisory Committee Member
|
Spencer Browne
|
5 (3 board meetings, 2 sub-committee meetings)
|
10,000 |
2,500
2,000
|
12,112.15 (includes backpay)
|
|
Board Member, Accommodation Committee Chairperson
|
Michael Anstee
|
6 (4 board meetings, 2 sub-committee meetings)
|
10,000
|
2,500
|
7,428.67
|
|
Board Member, First Nations Advisory Committee Chairperson
|
Avelina Tarrago
|
5 (3 board meetings, 2 sub-committee meetings)
|
10,000
|
2,500
|
5,336.55
|
|
Board Member
|
Matilda Alexander
|
5 (board meetings)
|
10,000
|
-
|
7,602.00
|
|
No. scheduled meetings/sessions
|
10 board meetings, 10 sub-committee meetings
|
|
Total expenses
|
$83,078.25 (not including travel)
|
Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee
The Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee is a sub-committee of the Legal Aid Queensland Board that operates in a review and advisory capacity.
The committee provides independent assurance and guidance to the board on our financial administration and reporting, audit control and independence, legal compliance, internal controls, and risk oversight and management.
The committee’s key achievements in 2025–26 include:
- reviewing the charter annually to ensure ongoing effectiveness of the committee’s authority, objectives and responsibilities
- advising on better practice governance trends
- reviewing the 2024–25 end of financial year statements before signing by the board chairperson and CFO
- reviewing the external auditor’s recommendations from the 2024–25 audit and 2025–26 interim audit
- reviewing and overseeing the organisation’s strategic risks register and risk appetite
- reviewing the compliance assurance tools and endorsing the ongoing bi-annual compliance reporting program
- monitoring the internal audit program and working closely with the external auditors.
The committee comprises:
- Spencer Browne, Legal Aid Queensland Board Member (Chairperson from 1 July 2025 to 5 February 2026)
- Andrew Knox, Legal Aid Queensland Board Member (Chairperson from 1 May to 30 June 2026)
- Marjorie Daley, Legal Aid Queensland Board Member (from 1 May to 30 June 2026)
- Jeanette Shanahan, external committee member, independent financial management, regulatory compliance and audit practices specialist
- Kathryn Campbell, external committee member, independent governance, risk management, finance, cyber security, information management and digital specialist
- Philip Wang, external committee member, independent governance, risk management, internal audit, cyber security and technology, cultural transformation and innovation specialist.
Andrew Knox and Marjorie Daley are board members on the committee. Andrew Knox, Marjorie Daley and Spencer Browne received additional remuneration for attendance and representation in addition to board meeting payments. External members Jeanette Shanahan, Kathryn Campbell and Philip Wang each received $2,000 (including superannuation) in 2025–26.
The meeting is also attended by:
- Nicky Davies, Acting CEO
- Peter Delibaltas, Legal Practice Senior Executive Director
- Amber Buckland, Client and Partner Services Senior Executive Director
- Kelly Camden, Corporate Services Senior Executive Director
- Grant Tanham-Kelly, CFO
- Stephen Shirvington, Chief Governance Officer (CGO)
- other stakeholders and staff members to provide specialist advice as needed.
The committee met 4 times during the year.
First Nations Advisory Committee
The First Nations Advisory Committee is a sub-committee of the Legal Aid Queensland Board and acts in an advisory capacity to the board. The committee works to improve services for First Nations clients and contributes to reducing the over-representation and disadvantage of First Nations peoples in the justice system. It also guides the ongoing development of Legal Aid Queensland’s cultural capability and a strong First Nations workforce.
The committee’s responsibilities include:
- monitoring the First Nations Strategic Plan 2024–26
- reporting to the board about the progress of activities under the First Nations Action Plan 2024–26
- providing advice to the board about issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander strategies and policies.
The committee comprises:
- Avelina Tarrago, Legal Aid Queensland Board Member (Chairperson from 1 July to 1 December 2025)
- Tanya Diessel, Legal Aid Queensland Board Member (Chairperson from 1 May to 30 June 2026)
- representatives from 2 external organisations that provide general help to First Nations peoples
- Wyatt Cook-Revell, Indigenous Lawyers Association of Queensland representative
- 2 First Nations employee representatives – 1 lawyer and 1 administrative officer
- Spencer Browne, Legal Aid Queensland Board Member (from 1 July 2025 to 5 February 2026)
- Nicky Davies, Legal Aid Queensland Acting CEO (ex officio capacity)
- Paul de Jersey AC CVO KC, Legal Aid Queensland Board Chairperson (ex officio capacity).
Other stakeholders and staff members attend meetings to provide specialist advice on matters as needed.
Tanya Diessel and Paul de Jersey AC CVO KC are board members on the committee. Tanya Diessel, Avelina Tarrago, and Spencer Browne received additional remuneration for attendance and representation in addition to board meeting payments. External member Wyatt Cook-Revell received $2,000 (including superannuation) in 2025–26. Legal Aid Queensland representatives are not remunerated.
Executive Leadership Team
The Executive Leadership Team is a governance committee of Legal Aid Queensland. The team’s role is to assist the CEO to fulfil responsibilities under the Legal Aid Queensland Act 1997 and deliver the organisation’s strategic objectives.
The team comprises:
- CEO
- Legal Practice Senior Executive Director
- Client and Partner Services Senior Executive Director.
- Corporate Services Senior Executive Director
The team’s functions are:
- making decisions about organisational strategies, activities and performance to ensure legal assistance is provided to financially disadvantaged people in the most effective, efficient and economical way
- making decisions about new and significantly amended organisational policies
- endorsing feasibility and determining the priority of Enterprise Project Management Office projects
- endorsing papers for the Legal Aid Queensland Board and the board sub-committees
- leading a culture of positive people management, service delivery improvement and innovation to build and inspire an organisational culture and environment that puts clients at the centre of the organisation’s strategies and activities, and attracts and retains high-performing employees and partners
- communicating important information to staff and external stakeholders.
Finance and Governance Committee
The Finance and Governance Committee is a governance committee within Legal Aid Queensland that assists
the CEO to fulfil responsibilities under the Legal Aid Queensland Act 1997 and deliver strategic objectives.
The committee is responsible for:
The committee comprises:
- CEO
- Legal Practice Senior Executive Director
- Client and Partner Services Senior Executive Director
- Corporate Services Senior Executive Director
- CFO
- CGO (Chairperson)
- Chief Corporate Legal Officer (CCLO).
Senior Leaders Group
The Senior Leaders Group is a governance committee within Legal Aid Queensland. Its primary role is to assist the CEO to meet the responsibilities outlined
in the Legal Aid Queensland Act 1997 and deliver the organisation’s objectives.
The group’s responsibilities include:
- monitoring and providing input on organisational strategies, activities and performance toensure legal assistance is provided to financially disadvantaged people in the most effective, efficient and economical way
- reviewing and providing feedback on new and significantly amended policies, procedures and standards that have broad organisational implications
- providing input to the Enterprise Project Management Office on planning and prioritising projects
- reviewing and noting key documents, such as briefing notes, reports or submissions, before they are presented to the board or a sub-committee
- promoting and developing a culture of excellence in people management, risk management, internal control, service delivery improvement and innovation to create a workplace that attracts and retains high-performing employees
- communicating important information to staff.
The group comprises:
- CEO
- Legal Practice Senior Executive Director
- Client and Partner Services Senior Executive Director
- Corporate Services Senior Executive Director (Chairperson)
- Public Defender
- Criminal Law Services Executive Director
- Family Law Services Executive Director
- Civil Justice Services Executive Director
- Grants Executive Director
- Business Transformation Executive Director
- Information, Advice and Business Partnerships Executive Director
- Regional Services Executive Director
- CFO
- Chief People Officer (CPO)
- Chief Information Officer
- CGO
- CCLO
- Communications and Community Legal Education Executive Director
- First Nations Strategic Policy and Planning Manager
Agency Consultative Committee
The Agency Consultative Committee operates in line with the State Government Entities Certified Agreement 2023 (Core Agreement) and provides a forum for employees to be consulted about decisions that may affect their employment or welfare.
The committee discusses issues arising from the Core Agreement, including:
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workload management
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organisational change and restructuring
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training
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union encouragement
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work-life balance
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organisational changes or new workforce management policies
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fair career paths
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improving gender equity
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cultural awareness activities and training.
The committee meets quarterly and comprises:
Work, Health and Safety Committee
The Work, Health and Safety (WHS) Committee was established in line with the Work, Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) to provide a forum for consultation and collaboration on local WHS matters and recommends proactive initiatives to promote health and safety in Legal Aid Queensland.
In 2025–26, we reviewed WHS governance arrangements and approved a new committee charter.
The committee’s responsibilities include:
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providing a consultative environment for cooperation and collaboration between workers, leaders and others in the workplace to ensure positive WHS outcomes
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considering and making recommendations on proposed changes to the workplace based on WHS matters and issues raised with the committee, or findings from workplace inspections and audits
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helping to develop and encourage measures for training and educating workers about local WHS processes and requirements
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reviewing the outcomes of WHS incident investigations referred to the committee, including developing, implementing and evaluating corrective measures
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communicating and keeping informed about changes or updates to WHS requirements as required under WHS laws
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monitoring local WHS performance and compliance with policy and procedure requirements.
The committee comprises:
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CPO (Co-chairperson/Corporate Services executive)
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Specialist Consultant (Health, Safety and Wellbeing)
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Legal Practice executive
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Regional Services executive
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Client and Partner Services executive
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Health and Safety representative, Corporate Services
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Health and Safety representative, Legal Practice
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Health and Safety representative, Regional Services
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Health and Safety representative, Client and Partner Services
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Health and Safety representative, Executive Services.
External Scrutiny
As a statutory body in Queensland, we are subject to a range of external accountability mechanisms, including regular budget and performance updates with Queensland Treasury and the Department of Justice.
Accountability mechanisms that complement the internal corporate governance framework include:
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external audit and certification
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judicial review of administrative decisions
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the Queensland Ombudsman
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the Crime and Corruption Commission
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Parliamentary Estimates Committee hearings
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the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee
-
the Legal Services Commission
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public performance reporting, for example, through this annual report and the annual Service Delivery Statement.
In 2025–26, the Queensland Audit Office (QAO) independently audited Legal Aid Queensland and examined whether the organisation is effectively enabling access to legal representation for people in need. QAO Report 17: 2025–26 Accessing Legal Aid Queensland’s representation services outlines recommendations relevant to the organisation.
Queensland Coroner reports
Coroners are tasked with an important role to undertake an inquest into certain deaths and may comment on or make recommendations.
Responding to coronial recommendations is important as it informs coroners, families of the deceased, and the community about the steps being taken to prevent similar deaths in the future. In 2025–26, no recommendations were received.
Human Rights Act
The Human Rights Act 2019 aims to:
-
protect and promote human rights
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help build a culture in the Queensland public sector that respects and promotes human rights
-
help promote a dialogue about the nature, meaning and scope of human rights.
Legal Aid Queensland is committed to human rights principles. To fulfil this commitment and ensure compliance with the Act, we have implemented the following measures:
-
a Human Rights Policy
-
reviewing policies for compliance, including our case management and client service standards
-
reviewing internal procedures to improve alignment with the Act’s principles and requirements
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compulsory staff training and awareness.
Our complaints management system is designed to capture and address any human rights complaints effectively. In 2025–26, we received 5 human rights complaints.
Community legal education
CLE is an integral service offered by Legal Aid Queensland. Our CLE activities are guided by a strategy that focuses on priority client groups and legal problems. The strategy aims to:
- improve community understanding of the law
- reduce litigation and costs to the justice system
- help people understand their legal rights and responsibilities and how to access legal help
- help key stakeholders to understand our services and how to access them.
Our CLE Strategy focuses on prevention, early intervention and collaborative service planning, aligning with the NAJP priorities. It is delivered through:
- CLE activities and engagement with priority groups, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities
- legal information sessions for community members and frontline workers supporting people involved in the justice system
- webinars for community lawyers, financial counsellors and community, health and education workers
- collaborative projects and co-designed resources to increase awareness of the law and our services with priority community groups
- building strong relationships with existing networks and establishing new networks
- participating in community events across Queensland such as Homeless Connect and NAIDOC Week events
- web-based legal information, digital resources and printed materials like factsheets and guides.
During the year, we:
- worked with First Nations service providers and networks to improve access to our services, like advice about cultural recognition orders for Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to create CLE opportunities through relationship building
- participated in community engagement meetings with interagency networks, individual services, service delivery hubs and co-located services in regional areas to provide information about our services and deliver CLE
- attended community events across Queensland, providing free legal help, referrals and raising awareness of our services; events included Homeless Connect, disaster recovery forums, Community Assist/Bring Your Bills events, NAIDOC Week events, Child Protection Week family fun days, Anti-Poverty Week events, seniors expos and targeted events focused on domestic and family violence, young people transitioning from the child protection system, First Nations women, financial wellbeing, the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, and the general community
- reviewed and updated legal information publications
- produced new legal information resources on topics such as Police Protection Directions (PPDs), being child-focused in family law, domestic violence order conditions, and dispute resolution
- distributed the ‘CLE update’ e-newsletter to subscribers sharing news about upcoming webinars, events, new services, publications, Blurred Borders resources and upcoming training sessions, law changes, project updates and other initiatives
- increased our social media presence and reach across the legal assistance sector to promote our resources and key legal information
- produced and promoted animated videos in response to specific legal needs such as child support and proving paternity
- delivered 11 webinars to frontline workers on topics such as therapeutic pathways within the criminal courts, changes to the Family Law Act, child protection, Mental Health Court and Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT) processes, National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) appeals, separation support, coercive control, domestic violence orders, workplace sexual harassment and discrimination, disaster-related legal rights and Legal Aid Queensland’s services
- delivered 238 CLE activities to 9,378 people and produced 102 resources on topics including domestic and family violence, the Family Advocacy Support Service, farm debt mediation, PPDs, navigating the NDIS, child protection, young people and the law, Love Bites healthy relationships program, Blurred Borders Queensland, disaster insurance and other legal issues, being child-focused in family law, credit, debt and consumer law issues, discrimination and accessing Legal Aid Queensland’s services
- delivered the Blurred Borders Queensland program across the state, distributing 179 tool kits and delivering 27 training sessions to more than 378 people in the Greater Brisbane region, Bundaberg, Cairns, Hervey Bay, Mossman, Mount Isa, Toowoomba and Townsville. Custom training sessions were co-designed with key justice sector agencies to embed these resources into their work. We also engaged with frontline workers and community leaders at events such as the Doomadgee Justice Reinvestment Summit and the Brisbane Domestic and Family Violence Forum. These efforts strengthened awareness of the Blurred Borders resources and training program across multiple sectors, helping to embed trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches into everyday service delivery.
Discrete assistance
Information and referral
Legal Aid Queensland provides free, comprehensive legal information and referral services to disadvantaged Queenslanders across the state. These services can be accessed online via the Legal Aid Queensland website (legalaid.qld.gov.au), in person at one of our 14 offices in metropolitan and regional Queensland, or by phone via our client contact centre.
Website
To support all Queenslanders, including those with diverse needs, we provide accessible legal information and resources on the Legal Aid Queensland website.
Key website features include:
- legal information on family, criminal and civil law written in plain language to ensure it is easy to understand
- a ’Publications and resources’ section that allows users to search using keywords and apply filters
-
translation options to support culturally and linguistically diverse visitors
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accessibility features such as skip links, logical tab navigation for assistive technologies, and compliance with the consistent user experience standard
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a quick exit safety button that allows users to immediately leave the webpage if needed
-
a ‘For lawyers’ section that includes updates, resources, key policies and procedures for our partner law firms.
During the year, people visited the website 926,970 times, with 1,758,598 pages being viewed.
We remain committed to improving digital accessibility for all Queenslanders by continually enhancing the user experience and applying relevant accessibility standards.
Client contact centre
Our client contact centre, based in Brisbane, operates Monday to Friday during business hours. Our client information officers help clients across Queensland with queries about their legal matters or grants of legal aid. We provide legal information and assess client queries to ensure they are referred to the most appropriate service for their legal matters.
In 2025–26, the client contact centre answered 159,518 calls and provided 100,358 legal information and referral services to clients.
The team also provided 2,065 legal information and referral services via email. We prioritised access for prisoners in correctional centres, reducing their waiting times. Prisoners are considered highly vulnerable clients as they have extremely limited access to legal services and support and face a high risk of social exclusion and financial disadvantage.
Additionally, we continued to participate in the Queensland Police Referrals Service, which connects people who come into contact with police and other community organisations to get support for legal issues.
Client Assistance Service
Our Client Assistance Service is a holistic, trauma-informed service to support the most vulnerable clients to get the legal help they need. The service helps clients to receive legal advice and guides them through the process of applying for a grant of legal aid. Clients may be referred to the service if they have vulnerabilities and their issue cannot be resolved by phoning our contact centre or our front counter service.
Client information officers in the service act as a single point of contact, supporting clients throughout the process of receiving legal advice and applying for legal aid funding.
Royal Commission Legal Advice Service
In 2026, Legal Aid Queensland, in partnership with National Legal Aid, helped to establish and deliver a legal service to support people engaging with the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion.
The service provides information, resources and advice on making a submission to the commission, while also engaging with affected communities.
Legal advice and legal task services
Financially disadvantaged Queenslanders can access our free legal advice and legal task services by telephone (including through the National Relay Service), by videoconference or face to face at Legal Aid Queensland offices and at designated outreach locations.
Figure 7. Legal advice and legal tasks services 2025–26
Legal advice and legal tasks services 2025-26
- Criminal law 17,286
- Family law 10,889
- Civil law 9,394
We provide free legal advice to eligible clients in:
Criminal law
- Criminal charges in the Magistrates, District and Supreme Courts
- Youth justice
- Traffic matters
- Mental health law
Family law
- Parenting issues (e.g. arrangements about children)
- Relationship issues (e.g. divorce, property settlement)
- Domestic and family violence
- Child support and maintenance
- Child protection
Family dispute resolution
Civil law
- Anti-discrimination and human rights
- Farm and rural debt issues
- Social security appeals
- Motor vehicle property damage
- Consumer and debt disputes
- Employment
- Disasters
- NDIS
In 2025–26, we provided legal advice and legal task services to 37,569 people.
The legal advice service is primarily delivered by our Brisbane-based First Advice Contact Team, specialist legal teams and regional offices (see Figure 7 for more information).
First Advice Contact Team
The First Advice Contact Team provides legal advice to eligible clients face to face at our Brisbane office, through a statewide telephone service and, where needed, by videoconference. Our highly skilled lawyers provide advice each weekday across a range of legal issues, including urgent matters involving police questioning, family law, domestic and family violence and child protection proceedings. The team also provides legal task services for people who need help preparing letters and other documents following their initial legal advice.
Prison Advice Service
Our Prison Advice Service primarily provides legal information and advice to people in Queensland’s prisons using videoconferencing. This approach reduces travel time and costs while ensuring timely access to legal assistance. The service also coordinates videoconferencing appointments for in-house lawyers and partner law firms across Queensland. In addition to videoconferencing, the service’s lawyers and some regional advice lawyers also provide face-to-face advice at designated prisons.
In 2025–26, the Prison Advice Service provided 1,971 advice services to Queensland prisoners.
Refugee and Immigration Legal Service advice referrals
We continue to work with the Brisbane-based Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (RAILS) to provide a warm referral pathway for clients who have family law, domestic and family violence, or child protection issues. Through this partnership, lawyers provide advice to referred clients and help them apply for legal aid where appropriate.
Consumer advice clinic
During 2025–26, we continued to provide telephone consumer advice clinics 5 days a week. We provided advice about:
- mortgage stress and housing repossession
- debt and debt collection practices
- credit cards and personal loans
- ‘buy now pay later’ schemes
- car loans
- small amount (payday) loans and consumer leases
- telephone and other utilities contracts
- insurance, including home and contents, car insurance and funeral insurance
- Australian consumer law including faulty cars, unsolicited consumer agreements and training colleges and courses
- bankruptcy and part IX agreements.
Anti-discrimination and Human Rights advice clinic
During the year, we provided specialist advice clinics 2 days a week to help clients with state and federal anti-discrimination laws and Queensland human rights protections. We also helped clients apply for legal aid if needed.
Through an arrangement with the Queensland Human Rights Commission (QHRC), we operate a specialist advice clinic one afternoon a week for clients whose complaints have been accepted by the commission. Clients receive telephone advice about their complaint, the complaint process, conciliation and how to proceed to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT). We also provide task assistance during these clinics to improve clients’ access to justice.
Employment law advice clinic
We deliver specialist legal advice and task assistance to federal system employees about employment law matters under the Fair Work Act 2009. This includes issues such as unfair dismissal, general protections, bullying, discrimination, sexual harassment, disciplinary processes and flexibility arrangements. We also help clients apply for legal aid if needed. We provide telephone advice clinics 5 days a week.
Our specialist sexual harassment advice clinic provides holistic, trauma-informed legal advice and task assistance to clients who have experienced sexual harassment and/or discrimination in the workplace.
Through an arrangement with the Fair Work Commission (FWC) Workplace Advice Service, we also provide a specialist advice clinic for clients who have contacted the commission about employment law issues and complaints. This clinic provided telephone advice about their legal issues, how to apply to the FWC, the conciliation process and steps to take if the matter does not resolve at conciliation. We also provide task assistance to improve clients’ access to justice.
Social security appeals advice clinic
We deliver specialist legal advice and task assistance to help clients deal with Centrelink decisions, including advice about overpayments. We provide in-house advice clinics for clients who have not lodged an appeal with the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), including those who need help to do so. This allows clients to achieve an early resolution rather than wait until their appeal reaches the ART. The clinic also supports clients whose appeal was unsuccessful and need guidance on progressing their matter, including making claims under the Scheme for Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration.
Through an arrangement with the ART, we also provide telephone advice clinics 3 days a week for clients in the Social Services and Child Support jurisdiction and General jurisdiction. For clients representing themselves in the Social Services and Child Support jurisdiction, we provide advice and task assistance, and many appeals are resolved at this level. We also provide advice and task assistance to clients whose appeals had progressed to the General jurisdiction. Additionally, we help clients apply for legal aid if needed.
NDIS advice clinic
We deliver specialist legal advice and task assistance to clients dealing with reviewable decisions made by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). Our in-house NDIS clinic operates 3 days a week and provides advice on legal issues including access to the NDIS, reasonable and necessary supports, revocation, reimbursements, applying for internal reviews with the NDIA and lodging an external review application with the ART.
We also operate a specialist advice clinic through an arrangement with the ART. This clinic operates 2 days a week to help clients who have lodged external review applications with the ART. We provide specialist NDIS advice to participants, prospective participants and nominees about their legal matters. Where appropriate, we also help them apply for legal aid.
Legal Advice Referral Pathways Program
We continued to deliver our Legal Advice Referral Pathways Program, which provides priority legal advice to vulnerable clients, particularly women who have experienced domestic and family violence. The program operates in 10 locations across Queensland: Brisbane, Bundaberg, Caboolture, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Mackay, Maroochydore, Toowoomba, Townsville and Woodridge. During the year, we continued to identify and develop new referral pathways. With more than 200 registered agency partners across Queensland, the program remains focused on expanding its reach and strengthening service delivery to ensure vulnerable clients can access timely legal assistance. We also continued to review and refine processes and procedures to ensure the program remains sustainable.
Domestic and family violence advice
During the year, we delivered specialist domestic and family violence advice services 5 days a week. These services supported people affected by domestic and family violence and those responding to applications for domestic violence protection orders.
The Application Assistance Program helps people applying for domestic violence protection orders in the Brisbane Magistrates Court by:
- helping victim-survivors prepare and lodge applications
- providing support for victim-survivors in court
- helping victim-survivors with risk assessments and safety planning
- referring people to legal and support services.
The Domestic Violence Court Assistance Service provides free and confidential help to all victim-survivors who attend the Brisbane Magistrates Court for domestic and family violence matters. The service is available to anyone applying for, or responding to, a domestic violence protection order application, and helps them:
- use the court’s safety facilities
- understand protection orders, including their conditions and what to do if an order is breached
- navigate the court process with support and information
- talk to the police prosecutor and court staff
- make a safety plan
- access relevant legal and community services for crisis counselling and emotional support
- complete an application for legal aid.
Child Protection Early Legal Service
The Child Protection Early Legal Service provides legal advice and advocacy for vulnerable parents early in child protection interventions. Lawyers work with community-based support agencies to ensure the program reaches parents who are involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, the child protection system.
We have maintained our referral pathway partnership with the Office of the Public Guardian to expand and strengthen services for clients who are particularly vulnerable with mental health and/or intellectual disability. We have also maintained partnerships with various community support agencies in Brisbane and South East Queensland, with a focus over the past year on strengthening our referral partnership with Micah Projects.
Early legal support involves advocating for parents to receive support and guidance to keep their children safe, so statutory child protection intervention is a last resort. This support includes legal advice, safety planning assistance and engaging with Child Safety before court proceedings begin.
Child Protection Outreach Legal Service
The Child Protection Early Legal Service provides legal advice and advocacy for vulnerable parents early in child protection interventions. Lawyers work with community-based support agencies to ensure the program reaches parents who are involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, the child protection system.
We have maintained our referral pathway partnership with the Office of the Public Guardian to expand and strengthen services for clients who are particularly vulnerable with mental health and/or intellectual disability. We have also maintained partnerships with various community support agencies in Brisbane and South East Queensland, with a focus over the past year on strengthening our referral partnership with Micah Projects.
Early legal support involves advocating for parents to receive support and guidance to keep their children safe, so statutory child protection intervention is a last resort. This support includes legal advice, safety planning assistance and engaging with Child Safety before court proceedings begin.
Child Protection Outreach Legal Service
The Child Protection Outreach Legal Service provides statewide legal advice via a telephone advice clinic. It also provides regular child protection duty lawyer services in Gladstone, Kingaroy, Gympie, Beenleigh, Richlands and Cleveland. The service is delivered by Brisbane-based lawyers who regularly travel to regional Queensland.
We have established referral pathway partnerships with key stakeholders, including Child Safety, the Director of Child Protection Litigation, the Office of the Child and Family Official Solicitor and the Office of the Public Guardian. These partnerships help clients in regional areas to get legal advice.
This year, we focused on building referrals through our legal advice clinics, which resulted in increased referrals, particularly in Mount Isa, Gladstone and Beenleigh regions. For our more vulnerable clients, we arrange in-person advice sessions to ensure regional clients have access to services in line with those available in Brisbane.
Child support advice clinic
We continued to deliver child support advice each week. The clinic provides legal advice about reviewing child support decisions, child support agreements, paternity and enforcing outstanding child support payments. Lawyers provide advice to clients on the child support process, their prospects of success and/or evidence, and where appropriate, help them apply for legal aid.
Family law advice clinic
We provided weekly legal advice to people facing complex family law issues, including parenting and property matters. Lawyers provided advice to clients on their prospects of success and/or evidence, and where appropriate, helped them apply for legal aid or referred them to the Family Advocacy and Support Services.
Youth Legal Advice Hotline
Our Youth Legal Advice Hotline continued to give legal advice and support to young people, and assistance to youth justice stakeholders and Queensland police. The hotline helps young people to access early legal advice, increasing the likelihood of resolving issues quickly and promoting diversionary options for those suspected of committing an offence.
Queensland police are required to notify a legal aid organisation that a child is in custody for questioning. The hotline operates Monday to Thursday from 8 am to 9 pm and from Friday 8 am to Sunday 5 pm. During the year, staff provided early legal advice and help for 1,375 matters.
Drug Diversion Legal Advice Line
The Drug Diversion Legal Advice Line helps divert people charged with minor drug offences from the court system. The service operates Monday to Thursday from 8 am to 9 pm and from Friday 8 am to Sunday 5 pm.
Calls to the advice line are answered by an advice lawyer, while callers outside operating hours are directed to information on the Legal Aid Queensland website.
The service provides confidential advice on eligibility for warnings and drug diversion assessment programs, advice for those wanting to reschedule or who have missed their scheduled program and liaises with police to help with diversionary options.
Duty lawyer services
Criminal Law Duty Lawyer Service
Our Criminal Law Duty Lawyer Service operates in 81 Queensland Magistrates and Childrens Courts and plays a crucial role in our youth and adult justice systems. The service offers free initial legal advice and representation to people charged with criminal and serious traffic offences who are on bail or in custody in Queensland.
Duty lawyers represent people on guilty pleas, make bail applications and request adjournments for clients. Duty lawyer services are provided by our in-house lawyers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (ATSILS) and partner law firms who deliver services under roster or tender arrangements.
We are committed to case conferencing and mediating matters with the prosecution to ensure our clients have their legal issues resolved as soon as possible.
This approach can have significant sentencing benefits for clients and can save time and resources within the criminal justice system. It also spares witnesses and victims the stress of attending court.
Family Law Duty Lawyer Service
Our Family Law Duty Lawyer Service supports self-represented litigants in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia throughout Queensland in family law matters. This service is available in Brisbane,
Bundaberg, Cairns, Hervey Bay, Mackay, Maroochydore, Rockhampton, Toowoomba and Townsville.
The duty lawyer service provides information, legal advice, referrals and, in some cases, representation for clients with matters in court that day. We also help people with:
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completing their forms and documents
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negotiating and settling consent orders
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seeking adjournments
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applying for legal aid or accessing the review process if a previous application was unsuccessful.
Family Advocacy and Support Services
The Family Advocacy and Support Services operate in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia in Brisbane, Cairns, Rockhampton, Townsville and circuit locations across Queensland.
This federally funded service provides early and comprehensive help to clients impacted by family violence. The service recognises people coming to the family law courts often need more than legal help. It brings together lawyers, social support workers and mental health workers to address clients’ legal and non-legal needs.
The service provides legal advice and help to unrepresented people on their court date, working alongside the Family Law Duty Lawyer Service. It also helps clients with urgent family law issues outside of court, such as seeking recovery or airport watch list orders for children. Lawyers provide legal information and advice, negotiate with other parties, prepare simple court documents and, in some cases, represent people in court. Support workers and mental health workers provide safety planning and referrals to social and mental health support services. The service provides a wrap-around legal and social support to clients who need urgent help.
The service can help people at all Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia registries and circuit locations in Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Mackay, Maroochydore and Toowoomba. In Brisbane and regional areas, we remain the primary service provider and engage external services to provide additional legal, social and mental health supports.
Our Family Law Duty Lawyer Service and Family Advocacy and Support Services also help clients in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia’s Critical Incident list – a case management list that helps non-parents secure parental responsibility and parenting orders when no parent is available to care for the children due to death or incarceration of a parent, including as a result of family violence.
The Family Advocacy and Support Services also help clients in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia’s specialist Indigenous list, which provides Indigenous families with tailored case management and support from an Indigenous family liaison officer.
Domestic and Family Violence Duty Lawyer Service
We continued to be a key partner in the Specialist Domestic and Family Violence Courts at Beenleigh, Brisbane, Cairns, Mount Isa, Palm Island, Southport and Townsville. Our duty lawyer services support clients and the court by providing free legal help before court appearances.
The service assists clients affected by domestic and family violence and those responding to applications for domestic violence protection orders. In Brisbane and Southport, we also provide legal help to defendants charged with breaching domestic violence orders and
related criminal cases. Duty lawyers provide legal advice, representation and referrals to other legal and support services for people appearing before the specialist courts. This year, the duty lawyers helped 15,482 people with civil domestic and family violence matters in these courts.
In addition to the specialist courts, we provided domestic and family violence duty lawyer services in 20 other court locations around Queensland.
Duty lawyers give free legal information and advice, help clients fill out forms and documents needed for court and discuss the clients’ eligibility for ongoing support from Legal Aid Queensland. They also help with related legal problems and refer clients to appropriate support services. In some cases, duty lawyers may appear in court on behalf of clients for their domestic and family violence matters.
The duty lawyer services are provided in the 27 courts by in-house lawyers, partner law firms and community legal centres (CLCs). Early legal help and referrals allow applicants and respondents to better understand their options and the legal consequences. This also helps people connect with support services early to keep them and their children safe.
Child Protection Duty Lawyer Service
We operated the Child Protection Duty Lawyer Service in Childrens Courts in Brisbane, Cairns, Caboolture, Holland Park, Ipswich, Mackay, Maroochydore, Mount Isa, Pine Rivers, Rockhampton, Southport, Toowoomba and Townsville.
The Child Protection Outreach Legal Service also provided duty lawyer services in Beenleigh, Cleveland, Gladstone, Gympie, Kingaroy and Richlands.
Duty lawyers provide free legal help to parents and young people before they appear in court for their child protection matter.
This court-based service provides free legal information and advice, helps people fill out forms and documents needed for court, and talks to clients about their eligibility for ongoing legal representation from Legal Aid Queensland. In some cases, duty lawyers may also appear in court on behalf of the client for their child protection matter.
These services are delivered by in-house lawyers, partner law firms and CLCs. By providing timely advice, duty lawyers help clients better understand their child protection issues, feel more confident navigating the legal process and more prepared to accept court outcomes.
Facilitated resolution processes
Resolving family law problems through dispute resolution processes
Legal Aid Queensland is a national leader in lawyer-assisted family law dispute resolution and arbitration. We operate a statewide lawyer-assisted family dispute resolution program to help resolve family law disputes before matters go to court or before a final hearing if court proceedings have started. In 2025–26, the program achieved a good result, with 71.6% of matters achieving an early resolution.
We have dispute resolution conference organisers in Brisbane and regional centres around the state to help families. Family law dispute resolution conferences are primarily held by videoconference and telephone.
An important part of our family law dispute resolution program is our property arbitration program, which allows parties to settle property disputes. Our lawyer-assisted property mediation program supports separated couples in resolving property disputes through a two-step conference and arbitration process that allows property disclosure and discovery.
Providing services to the farming community
Our Farm and Rural Legal Service provides free legal help to Queensland farmers and primary producers experiencing financial hardship, including those with severe debt problems or those in dispute with their lenders.
During the year, we gave legal advice via telephone and in-person meetings. We also represented clients in mediations with their banks and finance providers. The service was delivered by our in-house lawyers, who travelled thousands of kilometres across outback Queensland to meet farmers on their properties.
Representation services
Our in-house practice works alongside hundreds of private law firms and barristers to provide representation services to legally aided clients. These services cover a range of matters, including serious crime, general crime, youth justice, family law, child protection, domestic and family violence and other civil law matters. We use grants of aid to purchase these services from private lawyers, while also managing work undertaken by our in-house teams.
About 80% of our legal representation is provided by private lawyers, with the remainder provided by our in-house practice.
In 2025–26, our expenditure on private lawyers, barristers and other service delivery partners assisting legal aid clients was $117.965 million.
Processing applications for grants of aid
Our Grants division is responsible for assessing and processing applications for grants of legal assistance and managing approved grants.
We assessed 50,141 new applications for legal aid and approved 38,601 applications in 2025–26.
Applications are processed by staff in our Brisbane and regional offices. Due to high demand for our services, we apply strict criteria when granting aid for legal representation. Grants officers assess requests in line with guidelines set by the Legal Aid Queensland Board.
Each application is evaluated using the means and merits tests, which consider the applicant’s financial means and the merit of the case. If an application is refused, applicants have access to internal and external review processes.
We also allocate independent children’s lawyers in family law matters and separate representatives in child protection matters. These appointments are made from the specialist panels we maintain (see Figure 8 for more information).
Figure 8. Applications for grants of aid received and approved 2024–25
Applications for grants of aid received and approved 2025–26
- Criminal law - 36,341 applications received
- Criminal law - 31,522 applications approved
- Family law - 7,807 applications received
- Family law - 3,876 applications approved
- Civil law - 5,993 applications received
- Civil law - 3,203 applications approved
Managing grants of aid
In addition to processing initial applications for legal aid, we managed 46,102 ongoing cases during the year. This included:
- assessing and issuing 91,635 extension decisions
- paying 94,554 accounts
- recovering financial contributions from clients and external agencies.
Reviewing decisions
We have an established review process for applicants who want to challenge a decision to refuse legal aid. Most internal reviews are conducted by a senior officer who was not involved in the original decision. The applicant may also request an external review of an internal review decision. Independent lawyers or barristers in private practice complete these reviews by considering all relevant information held and any extra information provided. Applicants are invited to participate in the external review by telephone.
In 2025–26, we considered 2,528 internal reviews and external review officers considered 381 decisions. In 4.84% of cases, the external review officer overturned Legal Aid Queensland’s decision.
Improving grants of aid
During the year, we implemented initiatives to improve grants processes, support practitioners and enhance client engagement.
From 1 October 2025, we increased fees paid to partner law firms and counsel undertaking state and Commonwealth law matters by 2%. We also increased disbursements for items such as reports, giving evidence, service, travel and accommodation across state and Commonwealth matters.
In January 2026, we implemented the Grants response to the Domestic and Family Violence Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2025. The Act introduced amendments allowing police officers to issue 12-month, on-the-spot PPDs. A grant of legal assistance is now available to represent a party at a court review of a PPD in the Magistrates Court.
We also made significant improvements to Grants processes and client engagement. This included refreshing the Grants Online portal to improve user experience and updating financial verification guidance to provide greater clarity for low-risk matters.
We also worked to improve engagement with First Nations clients and introduced a pilot to proactively follow up on information requests and reduce barriers to help First Nations clients.
To further support practitioners, we produced criminal law fee overview documents and updates to the Supreme Court bail assessment criteria, providing clearer guidance on available funding. We also updated the Grants Handbook to ensure it is accurate, clear and aligns with legislative and organisational changes.
Legal help for war veterans and their dependents
We receive federal funding under the War Veterans’ Legal Aid Scheme to support veterans and their dependents with appeals of Veterans Review Board decisions.
This assistance covers:
- war-caused disability pension entitlements or assessment claims under Part II of the Veterans’ Entitlement Act 1986
- claims under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 about warlike or non-warlike service.
Commonwealth Family Violence and Cross-Examination of Parties Scheme
We receive funding from the federal government Attorney-General’s Department to administer the Commonwealth Family Violence Cross-Examination of Parties Scheme. Each notice may involve several parties, and each party is invited to apply for assistance. Applications for funding are approved about 12 weeks before the hearing date where the cross-examination is to happen. Applications under the scheme are not subject to means or merits testing. Once approved, matters are typically allocated to a partner law firm to prepare for and conduct the hearing.
Demand for representation through the scheme has been high, with 704 notifications received from the family law courts during 2025–26. In the same period, we approved 846 parties for funding.
In-house legal practices
Criminal law services
Magistrates Court
We provide legal representation in the Magistrates Court for guilty pleas, summary trials, committals, applications under s 172 of the Mental Health Act 2016 and other Magistrates Court matters.
Our lawyers are involved in the Magistrates Court callover process in Brisbane and provide case conferencing services for summary and committal matters. In 2025–26, we continued to pilot fast-tracked legal aid applications for certain summary matters in the Brisbane and Holland Park Magistrates Courts. These pilot applications minimise the need for formal grants of aid and streamline representation of people. The initiative was well received by the Magistrates Court and stakeholders, providing significant legal help and representation to defendants.
Consistent with the state government’s diversionary court programs, we have actively participated in supporting these courts in Queensland. The Queensland Drug and Alcohol Court continued to operate this year, and our extensive experience with previous drug court programs allowed us to contribute positively to this important specialist court program.
We also provided duty lawyer services for unrepresented defendants in the Court Link criminal callover in Brisbane, Holland Park and several regional areas. Court Link is a very successful bail-based case management program monitored by the Magistrates Court, addressing the underlying causes of offending such as homelessness. For each Brisbane callover we provide 2 duty lawyers, including 1 female lawyer.
In 2025–26, our Brisbane office began providing criminal law duty lawyer services for the summary domestic violence offence callover in the Brisbane Magistrates Court. This callover has quickly become a high-demand service, with 4 duty lawyers attending each fortnight to help defendants.
To support these services, we delivered annual criminal law duty lawyer training in Brisbane and 2 regional centres. These sessions were open to lawyers from Legal Aid Queensland, ATSILS and partner law firms. Additionally, we conducted statewide training to enhance understanding of the Court Link program and its therapeutic interventions.
Serious and general crime
Our lawyers specialise in defending complex and general criminal law cases across federal and state jurisdictions.
We provide legal assistance in matters under the Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003 (DPSOA). This includes representing people responding to dangerous prisoner applications brought by the Attorney-General, attending periodic reviews of continuing detention orders, handling contravention proceedings for breaches of supervision orders, and managing applications to amend and extend supervision orders.
We also provide advice and representation to witnesses in coronial inquests held in the Coroners Court of Queensland.
Our criminal law litigation teams provide representation in serious criminal law matters such as murder, major fraud and complicated drug prosecutions. These matters are highly demanding and require extensive investigation and preparation. Our lawyers are often involved for years, working shortly after a defendant’s arrest through the various stages of the criminal justice system.
The General Crime team has played a key role in managing criminal law matters across all jurisdictions, particularly in the District and Supreme Courts in South East Queensland.
Our experienced lawyers also contribute to consultation within the criminal justice system, helping to improve efficiencies in the superior courts and streamline criminal justice processes.
Appeals
We represent clients in appeals before the District Court appellate jurisdiction, the Queensland Court of Appeal and the High Court of Australia. Appellate jurisdictions act as a safety net for the criminal justice system, and our lawyers regularly appear in appeals alongside in-house counsel.
Our lawyers work with stakeholders in the appellate jurisdictions to improve representation and the broader justice system. The Appeals team has actively engaged with the Court of Appeal to ensure we provide efficient and effective defence representation in legally aided appeals. During the year, we began providing legal advice on the merits or likelihood of re-litigating criminal cases following law reforms that introduced subsequent appeals and expanded exceptions to double jeopardy.
Mental Health Court
Our Mental Health Court team provides advice and representation for people charged with criminal offences who have been referred to the Mental Health Court.
The team is committed to helping Queenslanders affected by mental illness or significant impairment, ensuring they have a voice in the justice system. It serves as a first point of contact for enquiries from practitioners and stakeholders about issues related to the implementation of the Mental Health Act 2016. Working closely with our in-house counsel and MHRT team, the Mental Health Court team represents the vast majority of non-privately represented clients appearing in the Mental Health Court.
Legal representation in the Mental Health Review Tribunal
We continued to provide legal representation services to clients appearing before the MHRT under the Mental Health Act 2016.
The MHRT is an independent statutory body that protects the rights of people receiving involuntary treatment for a mental illness. It conducts independent reviews and makes decisions about whether treatment should occur in hospital or in the community.
The tribunal sits in 132 locations across Queensland. To help serve clients statewide, we have an in-house MHRT team based in Brisbane, regional in-house lawyers and a network of 25 external legal service providers, including partner law firms and CLCs. Working together, this network gives legal help to some of Queensland’s most vulnerable people appearing before the tribunal. Our in-house team also plays an important role advising clients on tribunal processes and procedures, the impacts of tribunal decisions and options for appeal or review.
During the year, the MHRT team conducted appeals in the Mental Health Court, focusing on decisions that were considered to adversely impact on the human rights of this vulnerable client group.
Arranging representation for MHRT referrals
Our Grants division coordinates free legal representation for people appearing before the MHRT where s 740 of the Mental Health Act 2016 requires a representative to be appointed. This service is funded by Queensland Health to help meet its statutory obligation. We allocate legal representation from a specialist panel that includes lawyers from our MHRT team, partner law firms and CLCs.
Helping young people in the youth justice system
Our Youth Legal Aid teams provide specialist legal assistance to children and young people in the youth justice system, particularly in South East Queensland. The team is a significant stakeholder in the youth justice sector, advocating strongly on behalf of vulnerable children.
During the year, we continued to provide advice and policy submissions to government on youth justice issues. Our youth justice lawyers also used their knowledge, experience and expertise to continue to provide statewide legal training programs for youth justice stakeholders to improve justice outcomes for young people.
The state government continued to fund the Youth Legal Advice Hotline, which allows young people and youth justice stakeholders to access legal information and advice about criminal law matters by phone. The hotline also provides Queensland Police Service officers with access to a lawyer, promoting early resolution of matters and diversionary options.
Our in-house Youth Legal Aid teams continued to deliver duty lawyer services at court locations across South East Queensland, providing expert advice and representation to children appearing before the Childrens Court.
We also participated in the state government-funded Fast Track Sentencing Pilot in Brisbane, Cairns, Southport and Townsville. The pilot ensures children appearing in court have easy and prompt access to a lawyer so matters can be resolved quickly.
Family law services
Social science work
Our social scientists play an integral role in delivering legal services to vulnerable clients. They support people through legal processes, complete social assessment and family reports and provide counselling services. We provide social science and support services from our Brisbane, Rockhampton and Townsville offices. Outreach services are also provided to our Cairns office when needed.
During the year, our social workers completed forensic assessment and psychological reports for independent children’s lawyers and separate representatives involved in family law and child protection matters and provided testimony before the courts. They helped our lawyers by providing clients with information and referrals for help with non-legal matters such as mental health problems, substance dependencies and accommodation difficulties.
Helping those affected by domestic and family violence
We provide grants of aid to partner law firms and our in-house legal practice to represent people in domestic and family violence matters.
Our specialist Violence Prevention Advocacy teams help clients experiencing domestic and family violence. The teams comprise specialist lawyers and in-house domestic and family violence practitioners to provide services and practical advice to people in domestic and family violence cases. Particularly vulnerable clients include those at risk of social exclusion, people under 18 and those with intellectual disability or experiencing mental illness.
Rockhampton Domestic Violence Unit
The Domestic Violence Unit in Rockhampton is a federally funded service that provides wrap-around support to clients impacted by domestic and family violence. Lawyers and support workers collaborate to address the client’s legal and non-legal needs. The service provides advice and assistance for clients in the domestic and family violence and family law jurisdictions in Rockhampton and surrounding areas.
Protecting sexual assault counselling records
The Counselling Notes Protect service provides advice, assistance and representation to clients about Queensland law that protects the counselling records of victims, or alleged victims, of sexual assault from being used in some courts. In 2025–26, we represented 70 people in the District Court and provided advice and minor assistance to a further 37 clients for in-house matters.
We also provide education and training to the legal profession, Queensland Police Service, sexual assault services and other support services about the laws. The service is delivered in partnership with Women’s Legal Service Queensland.
Helping people with child support issues
We provide information, referral, legal advice and representation services to clients in some child support areas. We can explain how the child support formula works, how the Family Tax Benefit is affected and how to prove paternity.
Children and young people
Helping children, their families and the courts to assess the best interests of children in legal proceedings is a key focus of our family and child protection lawyers. In 2025–26, we continued to provide legal services for children and young people involved in family law and child protection matters.
Courts handling family law and child protection cases often appoint independent children’s lawyers and separate representatives, to ensure a child’s interests are separately represented. Independent children’s lawyers and separate representatives provide best interests representation for children, playing a unique and difficult role within the family law and child protection systems. They gather and assess independent evidence, help children and young people to participate in legal processes that affect them and have their voices heard, and provide measured guidance and recommendations to the courts about the best interests of children and young people. The cases they work on are complex and demanding. Many of these matters are dealt with by specialist in-house lawyers.
Our in-house independent children’s lawyers and separate representatives have significant experience and knowledge about parenting and child protection cases. In addition to appearing in complex child protection and family law matters, our in-house lawyers also perform work in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia’s:
- Magellan list – a case management list devoted to cases where there are allegations of serious physical abuse or sexual abuse of children
- Evatt List – a case management list dealing with matters where there are serious allegations of family violence or other allegations increasing risk to children or parties, through the Lighthouse Project.
Child protection
We are the largest provider of child protection legal services for individuals in Queensland. We provide information and advice, representation of parents, direct representation of young people, and act as separate representatives for children and young people in the Childrens Court of Queensland. We also offer limited representation in QCAT for reviewable decisions.
Civil justice services
Anti-discrimination services
We provide representation in matters involving discrimination, sexual harassment, victimisation and vilification under state and federal government laws. Where appropriate, we attached ‘piggyback’ actions relating to relevant considerations under the Human Rights Act to state anti-discrimination complaints in the QHRC. We provide representation in the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), QHRC, QCAT, Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, Queensland Court of Appeal, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and Federal Court of Australia.
Civil Law Legal Aid Scheme
The Civil Law Legal Aid Scheme is an outlay-only scheme that helps financially disadvantaged people who have a civil law claim for which no grant of legal aid is available. Administered by Queensland Public Trustee and Legal Aid Queensland, the scheme covers outlays required to prepare civil law claims for settlement negotiations and/ or court proceedings. The scheme does not fund legal professional fees and lawyers accessing the scheme must agree to speculate their fees. It does not cover areas of law where a mainstream grant of legal aid is available from Legal Aid Queensland. The scheme operates under guidelines independent of Legal Aid Queensland’s grants of legal aid. Applications are subject to means testing and merit assessment.
The scheme will consider providing funding for outlays where:
- there are reasonable prospects of success and the scheme recovering outlays
- the action can be dealt with in the Queensland legal jurisdiction
- an approved firm is willing to act on a speculative basis for their professional fees.
Consumer protection
We provide representation in credit, debt and consumer law matters. We provide advice to clients as well as lawyers and financial counsellors throughout Queensland. During the year, we helped people with:
- mortgage stress
- housing repossession
- debt (including debts faced by people experiencing family violence)
- credit cards and personal loans (including car loans)
- telecommunications and utilities
- misleading and deceptive conduct, unfair contract terms and unsolicited consumer agreements (including door-to-door selling)
- insurance (including flood, storm and bushfire insurance claims)
- debt collection practices
- credit reporting
- bankruptcy and part IX agreements.
Disaster Legal Help Service
We provided legal advice, task assistance and casework to clients impacted by disasters including Cyclone Jasper (2023), the South East Queensland Christmas/New Year’s storms and tornadoes (2023–24), the North and Far North Queensland Tropical Low (2025), Tropical Cyclone Alfred (2025) and the Western Queensland Floods (2025).
During the year, we also:
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attended community forums at Redland Bay, Coomera, Hervey Bay, Ingham, Townsville and Cardwell, to help consumers with insurance, debt and other legal problems
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provided CLE face to face and via webinars and social media to community and support workers, community recovery groups, financial counsellors, lawyers and community members
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advocated with the Insurance Council of Australia to resolve cases without needing to proceed to dispute resolution.
Employment law
We provide specialist legal representation to federal system employees for unfair dismissal and general protections matters covered by the Fair Work Act 2009. We provide representation in the FWC, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and Federal Court of Australia.
Farm and Rural Legal Service
The Farm and Rural Legal Service provides advice and representation at farm debt mediations to Queensland farmers and primary producers facing financial hardship related to their business, including those with severe debt problems or in dispute with their lenders.
Social security appeals
We provide casework assistance and representation for social security appeals in the General jurisdiction of the ART and the Federal Court of Australia.
National Disability Insurance Scheme appeals
During 2025–26, we continued to provide casework assistance and legal representation to eligible people in the General jurisdiction and Guidance and Appeals Panel of the ART and the Federal Court of Australia.
Workplace sexual harassment and mental health
We help people experiencing sexual harassment at work and people who have mental health issues with their legal and social service needs. Our lawyers work with a social worker to provide holistic and trauma-informed legal services to clients experiencing a range of vulnerabilities.
Public Defender Chambers
Public Defender Chambers continued to provide quality, specialist advocacy to disadvantaged Queenslanders.
The chambers’ practice reflects its collective experience and expertise, and includes sentences, trials and hearings in the Magistrates Court, Childrens Court of Queensland, District Court and Supreme Court. Chambers barristers conduct appeals in the District Court, Court of Appeal and the High Court of Australia. Additionally, they practise in specialist jurisdictions of the Supreme Court, including the Mental Health Court and Dangerous Prisoners jurisdictions. Our barristers adapt to significant legislative and procedural change while ensuring the best possible representation. The chambers are led by the Public Defender and supported by 4 Deputy Public Defenders.
During 2025–26, chambers counsel have continued to prepare and appear on criminal matters across all criminal law jurisdictions. Their work included:
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multiple lengthy and complex murder trials
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numerous complex District Court trials
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complex conviction and sentence appeals in the Court of Appeal, including Attorney-General appeals
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a successful application to the High Court of Australia for special leave to appeal by the Public Defender
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complex hearings in the Mental Health Court
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intensive circuit representation
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Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act (DPSOA) applications
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MHRT appeals to the Mental Health Court
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coronial inquests.
Counsel are located in Brisbane, Cairns, Ipswich, Southport and Townsville offices. This helps address increased demands for services and better represents the complexity of the work undertaken by the chambers. The Public Defender Chambers Regional Counsel Committee also works to enhance connections between our regional barristers.
The Public Defender Chambers First Nations Committee continued to work to address disadvantages experienced by First Nations peoples in the criminal justice system. The committee strengthens bonds with First Nations peoples and improves service delivery, particularly to remote circuit locations. During the year, chambers focused on improving the timely disposition of circuit matters at centres such as Mount Isa, which has a significant First Nations population. To support this, chambers increased its presence at the Mount Isa circuit, along with the courts and other stakeholders, to coordinate and maintain improvements to service delivery.
Additionally, chambers staff enhanced their cultural capabilities by participating in cultural awareness training and attending relevant conferences such as the Bugmy Bar Book Conference.
The chambers regularly contribute to policy submissions concerning legislative reform and make submissions to Queensland Law Reform Commission and Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council reviews.
Chambers barristers shared their expertise by delivering CPD sessions to broad audiences and volunteering as judges for the Bar Practice Course mock hearings. They also lectured and tutored university students, co-authored or contributed to criminal law textbooks and articles about criminal law, and provided formal and informal mentoring. This mentoring extended beyond Legal Aid Queensland to external organisations, such as the Bar Association of Queensland, the Women Lawyers Association of Queensland and James Cook University.
Our barristers also helped organise the Prisoners’ Legal Service Conference and the International Women’s Day Breakfast in Far North Queensland.
Ensuring quality legal services
Measuring client satisfaction
Legal Aid Queensland undertakes a client satisfaction survey every 2 years to monitor performance and meet reporting requirements under the NAJP 2025–30. The most recent survey was conducted in November 2025.
The survey used a multi-modal approach, combining telephone and online responses. It included 2 samples of clients, 675 core clients and 201 clients who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Participants were asked about their overall satisfaction with Legal Aid Queensland, as well as specific feedback on the services they received and their experiences. First Nations clients were also asked about cultural safety, the organisation’s understanding of cultural obligations, and whether reasonable adjustments were made to meet their needs.
The survey results highlighted positive outcomes for Legal Aid Queensland across key service areas:
-
Overall satisfaction was rated at 5.9 out of 10 among core clients and 6.78 out of 10 for First Nations clients.
-
First Nations clients reported the highest levels of satisfaction with duty lawyer and conferencing services.
While overall satisfaction among core clients decreased from 6.38 out of 10 in 2024 to 5.9 out of 10 in 2025, the results indicated we are performing consistently well in information, advice and casework services. Among First Nations clients, satisfaction with duty lawyer services remained strong at 7.98 out of 10, compared with 8 out of 10 in 2024. Satisfaction with conferencing services increased slightly to 8.53 out of 10 from 8.08 out of 10 in 2024.
In-house lawyers
We continued to apply our Legal Practice Framework for employed lawyers at Legal Aid Queensland to maintain our focus on quality legal services. The framework lists the measures we have in place to ensure we maintain a high standard of service delivery to our clients.
This includes:
-
recruiting and selecting lawyers through open, merit-based selection processes
-
providing an induction program and training for new lawyers to ensure they are familiar with standards of conduct, professional requirements and administrative processes
-
developing and delivering a CPD program for lawyers
-
compliance with legal profession standards
-
compliance with in-house legal service standards, case management standards and practice management standards
-
providing legal professional supervision to lawyers
-
regularly reviewing files and auditing legal work
-
responding to client feedback and complaints
-
conducting a client satisfaction survey every 2 years to guide improvements to service delivery.
Partner law firms
Our network of partner law firms is essential to delivering legal services to our clients throughout Queensland. We could not meet our objectives without their expertise and collaboration.
In 2025, we updated and continued implementing our Communication and Engagement Strategy for Partner Law Firms 2024–27, which guides how we work with and support our partners. The strategy includes initiatives to:
-
promote the critical role of partner law firms
-
strengthen relationships with our partners
-
gather and act on partner feedback
-
attract new partner law firms to join our network.
As part of the strategy, we delivered a range of benefits, including online and in-person CPD and training. These sessions covered professional, practice and procedural topics and were expanded to include mental health and wellbeing content to better support our partners in their work.
Partner law firms are required to comply with Legal Aid Queensland’s policies, guidelines and standards for file management, practice and case management under their agreements. To ensure grant funding is used appropriately, we implement a compliance program that includes targeted checks on specific aspects of grants of aid or focus on identified areas. We share the outcomes of these compliance activities with participants and use the findings to continuously improve our grant funding processes.
In 2025, we also partnered with National Legal Aid to address issues raised in the 2024 National Legal Aid Private Practitioners Census. The key findings of the census have informed many of our action items under our Communication and Engagement Strategy for Partner Law Firms 2024–27.
Working to improve equitable briefing of barristers
Legal Aid Queensland’s in-house legal practice continues to be a leader in implementing the Law Council of Australia’s target for equitable briefing of female barristers. In 2025–26, 43.87% of briefs were allocated to women barristers, and the percentage of female in-house counsel remained above 50%.
Under the preferred supplier service agreement, our preferred supplier law firms are required to make a reasonable endeavour to comply with the Law Council of Australia’s Equitable Briefing Policy when selecting counsel. They must also provide information, if required, about the efforts made to identify and consider briefing female counsel. In 2025–26, many preferred supplier private law firms continued to reach or exceed the Equitable Briefing Policy target of 30%.
As a strong supporter of women in the legal profession, we were delighted to present the Equitable Briefing Award at the 2025 Women Lawyers Association of Queensland Awards. Congratulations to law firm Walker Pender Group Pty Ltd Ipswich on receiving the Legal Aid Queensland Equitable Briefing Award. We hope this award encourages law firms to reflect on their briefing policies, so they brief women barristers more frequently and more women are encouraged to join and remain at the Queensland Bar, enriching the legal profession and the community it serves.
We will continue to drive cultural change within the legal profession by supporting the progression and retention of women barristers and addressing the pay gap and underrepresentation of female counsel in the superior courts.
In-house lawyers briefing counsel
We oversee in-house lawyers who brief barristers to ensure probity and accountability in decisions when briefing counsel.
Our in-house lawyers must follow general briefing guidelines, which include specific procedures for briefing counsel in expensive or extraordinary cases.
These guidelines include requirements to:
-
consider the Law Council of Australia’s Equitable Briefing Policy, which promotes diversity, equality and respect to improve the retention of women barristers
-
genuinely consider briefing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander barristers where possible, including developing barristers through our First Nations Junioring Program
-
consider briefing in-house counsel to ensure cost effectiveness
-
prioritise regional barristers where a barrister of sufficient experience and expertise is available
-
brief in a way that develops a wide and diverse pool of barristers who can do legal aid work
-
brief barristers who have appropriate experience and expertise
-
remain objective, independent, apolitical and impartial.
The Legal Practice Framework Committee is chaired by the CEO and monitors briefing practices to ensure in-house lawyers adhere to these guidelines.
Access by disadvantaged groups
Culturally and linguistically diverse clients
We remain committed to improving access to justice for clients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This year, we:
-
delivered CLE sessions on common legal topics to people from migrant and refugee backgrounds
-
distributed translated legal information to people from migrant and refugee backgrounds
-
provided free interpreter services in line with the state government’s Language Services Policy
-
promoted our website, which offers content translation into multiple languages.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients
We are committed to providing services to First Nations peoples. During the year, we:
-
continued implementing our First Nations Action Plan 2024–26, which includes:
-
initiatives aligned with the objectives of the First Nations Strategic Plan 2024–26
-
increasing awareness and accessibility of our services for First Nations peoples
-
supporting a more equitable justice system to address the disparity of First Nations peoples in the broader legal profession
-
improved cultural awareness training and cultural capability training for staff to help them better understand communication barriers in legal settings
-
celebrated Close the Gap Day across our offices
-
promoted our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Information Line, which gives priority to First Nations callers to access legal information for the cost of a local call from a landline anywhere in Queensland
-
hosted information stalls at NAIDOC Week events across the state
-
participated in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Assistance Forum, which fosters collaboration between legal and non-legal service providers working with First Nations peoples
-
continued working towards our target of having 9% of Legal Aid Queensland staff identify as First Nations
-
employed 11 First Nations lawyers across the organisation
-
offered our Graduate Lawyer and Emerging Lawyer programs
-
continued the Yadaba Working Group to provide consultation and advice on First Nations employment and training matters
-
enhanced cultural capability frameworks and e-learning resources for staff
-
shared our Best practice guidelines for working with First Nations clients with other government agencies
-
engaged interpreters to help First Nations clients access our services where needed.
People with disability
We recognise many people with disability experience legal problems and require services tailored to their individual needs and circumstances.
We continually aim to review and improve our services, including our website, in line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines endorsed by the Australian Government. Web accessibility provides equal access and opportunity for people with disability, making websites compatible with screen readers for people who are blind or have vision loss, and with devices for those unable to use a mouse due to physical impairments. These improvements also benefit people with literacy issues, older users and mobile device users.
When people with disability contact our client contact centre or visit one of our offices, we have processes in place to identify their vulnerabilities and give them priority and supported access to our services. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact us through the National Relay Service, and we can arrange Auslan interpreters if needed.
In 2025, we launched our Disability Framework, with a representative from the Australian Disability Network speaking at the event. Developed in collaboration with the Australian Disability Network, the framework supports the rights, dignity and participation of staff and clients with disability. It aligns with the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. The framework demonstrates our commitment to becoming an inclusive and accessible organisation, ensuring Legal Aid Queensland delivers high quality legal services that improve outcomes for people living with disability.
Regional, rural and remote Queenslanders
Legal Aid Queensland is committed to delivering frontline legal services to rural, regional and remote areas of Queensland. We have 13 regional offices providing services throughout regional Queensland, and a statewide network of regional partner law firms.
In addition to our services, 27 CLCs contribute to supporting Queensland’s legal and justice system. A number of these CLCs help Legal Aid Queensland deliver domestic and family violence services, family advocacy and support services, and child protection duty lawyer services in courts across Queensland.
We provide direct legal services to people in rural, regional and remote areas, including grants of aid for court representation, legal information and advice, and duty lawyer services (see Figures 9 and 10). About 40% of our legal advice and representation services are delivered to clients in non-metropolitan areas.
Other frontline legal aid services available to regional Queenslanders include:
-
criminal law duty lawyer services in Magistrates and Childrens Courts in regional towns across Queensland
-
family law duty lawyer services in Bundaberg, Cairns, Hervey Bay, Mackay, Maroochydore, Rockhampton and Townsville
-
domestic and family violence duty lawyer services in Beenleigh, Bundaberg, Caboolture, Cairns, Cleveland, Gladstone, Holland Park, Hervey Bay, Ipswich, Palm Island, Pine Rivers, Mackay, Maroochydore, Mount Isa, Redcliffe, Richlands, Rockhampton, Sandgate, Southport, Toowoomba, Townsville and Yeppoon
-
child protection duty lawyer services in Beenleigh, Caboolture, Cairns, Caloundra, Gladstone, Ipswich, Mackay, Maroochydore, Mount Isa, Pine Rivers, Richlands, Rockhampton, Southport, Toowoomba and Townsville
-
legal advice services in family law, child protection, domestic and family violence law, and criminal law
-
child protection legal advice services in Biloela, Charleville, Cherbourg, Cleveland, Cunnamulla, Emerald, Gladstone, Gympie, Kingaroy, Longreach, Murgon and Roma
-
Torres Strait Islander cultural adoption (Meriba Omasker Ailan Kastom child rearing practice) legal advice and assistance from our Cairns office
-
a Farm and Rural Legal Service that provides free legal help to Queensland farmers and primary producers experiencing financial hardship related to their business, including those with severe debt problems or in dispute with their lenders
-
providing legal help to residents of disaster affected areas of Queensland
-
in-house counsel appearing in regional and remote courts including circuits to Bowen, Bundaberg, Cape York Peninsula, Charters Towers, Emerald, Gympie, Hervey Bay, Kingaroy, Maryborough, Mount Isa, the Gulf of Carpentaria and Thursday Island
-
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia sittings across regional areas
-
legal outreach clinics, where lawyers travel to surrounding regions or connect via videoconference to provide legal advice services, to Bribie Island (Caboolture office and local CLCs), Cooktown and Tully (Cairns office) and Dirranbandi, Goondiwindi and Tara (Toowoomba office).
We also:
-
provide duty lawyer services on circuit to remote areas including Birdsville, Boulia, Burketown, Camooweal, Cloncurry, Dajarra, Doomadgee, Julia Creek, Mornington Island, and Normanton (from our Mount Isa office); Bamaga, Cooktown, Thursday Island and other Torres Strait Islands (from our Cairns office); and Hughenden, Palm Island and Richmond (from our Townsville office)
-
provide a statewide telephone legal information line and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander information line where people can call from a landline from anywhere in Queensland for the cost of a local call
-
work with community access points across Queensland that provide information about our services, access to publications and help with free telephone advice. In 2025–26, we worked with 59 community access points.
Women
We treat women, especially women experiencing domestic and family violence, as a priority client group. Our work aligns with the Queensland Government’s strategy to reduce domestic and family violence by delivering legal information, advice and representation to disadvantaged Queenslanders. We also support the objectives of Queensland’s domestic and family violence laws, which aim to maximise or increase the safety, protection and wellbeing of people who fear or experience domestic and family violence, including their children.
Our specialist Violence Prevention Advocacy teams work with clients affected by domestic and family violence. Their mission is to increase women’s access to our services and improve our responsiveness to meet women’s legal needs. The team represents women and vulnerable clients to help courts appropriately identify those most in need of protection and hold the person using violence accountable. They develop and maintain effective working relationships with service providers and identify, review and respond to issues impacting on women’s access to justice.
The teams act for women with complex legal issues in family law, child protection, and domestic and family violence matters. They also provide services to women from culturally diverse backgrounds and women with intellectual disabilities. Across Queensland, our family lawyers in 11 of our 13 regional offices deliver legal services to local communities, addressing issues related to family relationships, including domestic and family violence and child protection.
Our Violence Against Women Strategy is an integrated, collaborative and consistent response to clients who have been affected by domestic and family violence.
Each year, we run awareness campaigns to increase staff and partner law firms’ knowledge and improve trauma-informed legal practice.
The 2026 Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month campaign was aligned with the Queensland Government’s theme of ‘Together Queenslanders can prevent domestic and family violence’, which emphasised collective action to send a clear message that violence has no place in our communities. The campaign focused on how all stakeholders can take small, simple steps to help. We aimed to show that every interaction should focus on raising awareness, building understanding and taking action to prevent domestic and family violence.
We have included current research when developing and implementing practical tools for our practitioners, including:
-
Best practice guidelines for working with people who have experienced domestic violence
-
Best practice guidelines for lawyers working with respondents in domestic violence proceedings
-
Best practice guidelines for working with sexual assault victims
-
a domestic violence risk assessment tool
-
a policy for responding to staff experiencing domestic violence
-
a training module about domestic and family violence – risk, safety and best practice, which is compulsory for all staff.
Figure 9. Legal advices provided by location 2025–26
Legal advices provided by location 2025–26
- Major cities 58.57%
- Inner regional 26.13%
- Outer regional 13.14%
- Remote 1.45%
- Very remote 0.70%
- Interstate 2.44%
- Unmatched 1.40%
Figure 10. Applications for grants of aid received by location 2025–26
Applications for grants of aid received by location 2025–26
- Major cities 56.65%
- Inner regional 28.52%
- Outer regional 12.71%
- Remote 1.32%
- Very remote 0.81%
- Interstate 1.33%
- Unmatched 1.78%
Table 5. Access by key disadvantaged groups 2025–26
|
Key disadvantaged group
|
Criminal law %
|
Family law %
|
Civil law %
|
Total %
|
|
Legal advice
|
|
Female
|
25.88
|
67.53
|
54.29
|
47.09
|
|
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
|
20.34
|
11.20
|
13.73
|
15.57
|
|
Regional and remote
|
17.02
|
15.59
|
13.76
|
15.58
|
|
Culturally diverse
|
10.37
|
14.12
|
12.31
|
12.09
|
|
Applications received
|
|
Female
|
22.84
|
64.65
|
61.10
|
33.09
|
|
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
|
22.17
|
14.93
|
22.12
|
21.15
|
|
Regional and remote
|
13.14
|
15.95
|
15.54
|
13.81
|
|
Culturally diverse
|
5.53
|
11.76
|
9.02
|
6.80
|
|
Applications approved
|
|
Female
|
22.09
|
61.82
|
66.79
|
28.14
|
|
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
|
22.73
|
16.10
|
25.30
|
22.45
|
|
Regional and remote
|
12.07
|
15.44
|
13.92
|
12.45
|
|
Culturally diverse
|
4.91
|
9.88
|
5.89
|
5.33
|
Our people
Workforce strategy
The Strategic Workforce Plan 2024–27 supports Legal Aid Queensland’s vision to be a great place to work where our people are respected, valued, safe and supported. It includes 4 areas of focus:
-
talent acquisition
-
capability and leadership
-
new ways of working
-
culture.
Learning and development
In 2025–26, we continued to provide our in-house CPD program. Most sessions were open to all staff as well as partner law firms, CLCs and ATSILS. Our program ensures our lawyers and those providing legal aid services are up to date with the latest legislative changes and have the opportunity to develop their professional skills and legal knowledge. It also allows legal staff to earn CPD points, which are needed to renew practising certificates each year.
Other development opportunities for staff included:
Conferences and intensives
-
Child protection masterclass and separate representative training
-
Civil law conference
-
Civil law litigation support officer conference
-
Conference organiser conference
-
Corporate Services conference
-
Criminal law directors health check workshop
-
Criminal law duty lawyer conference and training
-
Criminal law emerging lawyers conference
-
Criminal law litigation support officer conference
-
Criminal law principal lawyers conference
-
Customer service officer conference
-
Domestic and family violence duty lawyer training
-
Family dispute resolution practitioner and arbitrator panel training
-
Family law intensive and family law litigation support officer conference
-
Family law leadership day
-
First Nations staff conference
-
Grants conference
-
Grants leadership day
-
Independent children’s lawyer certification training
-
Independent children’s lawyer masterclass
-
Public Defender Chambers conference
-
Regional principal lawyer conference
-
Youth practitioner certification training
Cultural competency program
-
Advanced cultural intelligence training
-
Cherbourg Ration Shed Museum visits
-
Cultural awareness training
-
Cultural capability training
Psychological wellness training program
-
Avoiding burnout and increasing resilience
-
Managing aggressive client behaviour
-
Managing the psychological impact of working in the legal profession
-
Nourish and Learn series (trauma-informed practice)
-
Respect at work (sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying)
-
Responding to threats of harm
-
Safe workplace culture
Essential skills
-
Computer systems, including in-house systems
-
Dealing with difficult calls
-
Developing emotional intelligence
-
Disability and neurodiversity awareness training series
-
Effective stakeholder management
-
Growth mindsets
-
Induction training for all new staff
-
Influencing and negotiating
-
Interpersonal communication
-
Lawyers using interpreters
-
Library and research
-
Minute-taking
-
Navigating difficult conversations and people
-
Presenting with confidence
-
Train the trainer
Leadership pathways program
-
Corporate skills
-
Experienced leaders
-
Mentoring program
-
New and emerging leaders
Staff have completed online and in-person trauma-informed practice training through National Legal Aid’s With You program. The program is a national trauma-informed training initiative designed to strengthen practice across the legal sector and improve access to justice.
Staff have access to the Study and Research Assistance Scheme and the Certified Agreement training initiatives, which provide funding for higher educational requirements. They can also participate in external training and attend conferences to address individual professional development goals.
We provide face-to-face and online e-learning opportunities to help staff understand our policies and procedures while improving their skills and knowledge. Key areas of focus include improving disability awareness, cultural capability and trauma-informed practice. We regularly review our in-house training programs and make improvements where appropriate, working closely with facilitators.
Attracting and retaining staff
We prioritise the wellbeing of our staff and offer a range of flexible working options, including:
-
accessing accrued time leave
-
working part-time
-
job sharing
-
remote working
-
purchased leave arrangements.
We have implemented strategies to help our staff effectively manage the possible psychological impacts of their work. We are particularly aware that lawyers, grants officers, client information and customer service officers, and support staff are routinely involved in work that is confronting and stressful, which puts them at risk of suffering vicarious trauma. To address these risks, we organised workshops on managing the psychological impacts of practising law, handling aggressive client behaviour, and fostering a trauma-informed legal practice. Additionally, we provided staff with information about support networks, self-help strategies and access to confidential counselling services.
Graduate recruitment program
Legal Aid Queensland continued its strong commitment to fostering graduate lawyers into Queensland’s legal profession. In 2025–26, we continued our 2-year graduate program with 8 graduates in regional centres and Brisbane. The program involves a 6-month placement in criminal law and a 6-month placement in family law. After completing those rotations, graduates are given the opportunity to continue their placement in their preferred stream to further develop their experience, knowledge and skills.
Workplace composition (full-time equivalents)
As of 30 June 2026, Legal Aid Queensland had 814.39 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees working in 14 office locations throughout the state (see Table 7 for more information).
Table 7. Actual staff by employment type (by FTE) 2025–26
|
Employment category
|
FTE
|
FTE workforce %
|
|
Permanent
|
638.77
|
78.44
|
|
Temporary
|
156.23
|
19.18
|
|
Contract
|
19
|
2.33
|
|
Casual
|
0.39
|
0.05
|
|
Total
|
814.39
|
100.00
|
Industrial framework
Legal Aid Queensland employees are engaged under the Legal Aid Queensland Employees Award – State 2015 and the State Government Entities Certified Agreement 2023. We also apply particular employment provisions of the Public Sector Act 2022 through the Legal Aid Queensland Regulation 2023. We undertake consultation on industrial relations matters through an Agency Consultative Committee that includes employee delegates, union organisers and management representatives as members.
Equal employment opportunity
We are committed to equal employment opportunity (EEO) principles and have successfully implemented these principles across the organisation. Our EEO statistics highlight our commitment to equitable recruitment, selection and promotion policies (see Table 8 for more information). We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel respected, valued and supported.
Legal Aid Queensland’s staff comprises 77.2% women, with 63.33% of leadership positions held by women. We support women in the workplace through equal access to development, promotion and flexible work arrangements.
We have supported First Nations employment through a dedicated role in the People, Culture and Capability team and implementing strategies to enhance cultural capability and cultural safety. We maintained our representation of First Nations employees through targeted advertising and by implementing strategies to support attracting and retaining First Nations employees.
We launched the Legal Aid Queensland Disability Framework, which includes actions to ensure Legal Aid Queensland is an inclusive and accessible workplace for our staff.
Table 8. Gender 2025–26
|
Gender
|
Number (headcount)
|
Total workforce % (calculated on headcount)
|
|
Woman
|
684
|
77.20
|
|
Man
|
201
|
22.69
|
|
Non-binary
|
<51 Footnote 1
|
0.11
|
Table 9. Diversity target group data 2025–26
|
Diversity groups
|
Number (headcount)
|
Total workforce % (calculated on headcount)
|
|
Women
|
684
|
77.20
|
|
Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
|
36
|
4.06
|
|
People with disability
|
41
|
4.63
|
|
Culturally and linguistically diverse – speak a language at home other than English(including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages or Australian South Sea Islander languages)
|
27
|
3.05
|
Table 10. Target group data for women in leadership roles 2025–26
|
|
Women (Headcount)
|
Women as percentage of total leadership cohort % (Calculated on headcount)
|
|
Senior Officers (classified and s 122 equivalent combined)
|
28
|
71.79
|
|
Senior Executive Service and Chief Executives (classified and s 122 equivalent combined)
|
10
|
47.62
|
Measuring staff engagement
We continue to participate in the whole-of-government Working for Queensland Employee Opinion Survey.
In 2025, our results were very positive compared with the wider Queensland public sector. The survey was completed by 67% of staff, with 75% of respondents reporting high levels of engagement. The results also indicated 81% of staff would recommend Legal Aid Queensland as a great place to work.
The feedback we received from the survey was invaluable in continuing to build on our organisational strengths. We will continue to focus on areas for improvement and will implement changes based on the survey feedback.
Code of conduct
Legal Aid Queensland operates under the Code of Conduct for the Queensland Public Service, established under the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994. The code sets out standards of conduct for public officials consistent with the ethics principles and values as outlined in the Act.
The code provides guidance on managing issues including:
-
conflicts of interest
-
personal conduct
-
commitment to service delivery
-
information sharing and relationship building across agencies
-
adherence to organisational values and policies
-
continuous performance improvement
-
appropriate use of official information and resources.
All new employees are required to complete an initial face-to-face Code of Conduct training session soon after starting, followed by an online training session. Employees must also complete online Code of Conduct training annually throughout their employment.
Completion rates for this training are reported to the Senior Leaders Group. The training covers:
-
the principles, values and standards of conduct outlined in the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994
-
how to report suspected breaches of the code
-
potential consequences of breaching the code.
Employees found to have breached the code may be directed to repeat face-to-face Code of Conduct training.
Our Workplace Behaviours Policy provides clear standards for appropriate workplace behaviour and outlines employee obligations under the Code of Conduct. Other organisational policies and procedures also highlight that failing to follow them may constitute a breach of the code, potentially resulting in disciplinary action. Breaches of the Code of Conduct are managed in line with the positive performance management principles outlined in the Public Sector Act 2022 and the Public Service Commission’s Discipline Directive.
Early retirement, redundancy and retrenchment
No early retirements, redundancies or retrenchment packages were paid during 2025–26.
Our systems and processes
Business transformation
During the year, we established a Business Transformation division to support our commitment to innovation and continuous improvement.
In our first year, we focused on building key skills, setting a clear direction, and delivering projects that create lasting value. By prioritising collaboration, adaptability, and a consistent approach to managing change, we are building a stronger organisation that is ready for the future.
Enterprise Project Management Office
We also established an Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) to support project teams across the organisation to deliver projects that align with our strategic goals, at the right time and in the right way.
In 2025–26, we:
-
created a framework to guide strategic decisions about projects and resources
-
established a Project Delivery Network and Project Managers Forum to encourage collaboration and build skills across teams
-
rolled out improved reporting tools to give the Executive Leadership Team a clear view of project progress and challenges
-
began introducing an idea management process to encourage innovation and ensure new initiatives align with our strategic goals.
By continuing to improve how we manage projects, the EPMO is committed to ensuring every project helps the organisation deliver high-quality legal services to those who need them most.
Legal Services System project
During the year, we began a significant project to replace our legacy core business systems – LAQ Office and Grants Online – which are approaching end-of-life. These systems are integral to our operations, supporting client management, legal aid application approvals and refusals, and ongoing funding for legal matters. Replacing these systems with contemporary, fit-for-purpose technology will enable more effective service delivery, drive innovation and achieve greater efficiency across business areas.
In 2025–26, we:
-
established a project team to guide the new system’s design and implementation
-
analysed our business processes and identified opportunities to streamline digital processes and reduce manual effort
-
partnered with SFDC Australia Pty Ltd (Salesforce) to jointly deliver the new Legal Services System and began design activities in collaboration with stakeholders.
The project will deliver a modern, integrated client and grants management system, while mitigating strategic and operational risks, streamlining processes, and providing a stable foundation for future business transformation.
LAQ Strategy Renew
This year, we began the LAQ Strategy Renew initiative, which aims to develop a shared vision for our future, ensuring we are well-prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing legal and social environment. This comprehensive organisational strategy will align our efforts across all areas of the organisation and modernise our service delivery.
The initiative represents our commitment to continuous improvement and will help ensure we are positioned to serve Queenslanders effectively and efficiently in the years to come.
Records and information management
Our Legal Aid Records System (LARS), which is based on OpenText Content Manager 9, is our primary electronic document and records management system. LARS integrates with other core business systems, which has improved how we manage client records.
In 2025–26, we started a project to upgrade LARS from Content Manager 9 to Content Manager 25.
We continued records and information management reforms to improve and support good corporate governance by:
-
continuing to review our Retention and Disposal Schedule
-
implementing processes to identify records that are subject to the Proactive Protection of Vulnerable Persons Retention Schedules
-
consulting with our staff to provide guidance on corporate records management requirements in relation to the Records Governance Policy
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re-sentencing records in line with the latest General Retention and Disposal Schedule as issued by Queensland State Archives
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supporting the business with new and innovative ways to capture and store records and information.
We continued to transition from paper to digital records by:
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improving existing technology so records and information can be captured when received
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upgrading our digitisation software and associated infrastructure to increase our processing capacity.
We improved our records and information management system’s reliability and security by:
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further developing the integration between LARS and our other core business systems to better use our existing information
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continuing to develop our suite of custom event processor automations to ensure repeated functions are performed consistently.
We continued to implement appropriate disposal activities by:
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streamlining our disposal activities in LARS
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further developing our disposal authorisation processes
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reviewing our disposal procedures and implementing appropriate changes in line with best practice.
We have collaborated with other government agencies to share knowledge about best practice records and information management by participating in:
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focus group discussions with agencies such as Queensland State Archives
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professional development opportunities delivered by Records and Information Management Professionals Australasia – the core industry professional body for records and information management.
Library services
Our library provides comprehensive reference, research and research-training services to our staff. We also share key in-house legal information resources with our partner law firms, CLCs and ATSILS to help them deliver high quality legal services to clients.
The library plays a critical role in supporting legal service delivery, planning and management. It does this through a modern collection, knowledge management systems, current awareness services and highly skilled staff.
During the year, we:
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maintained our specialty collections of criminal law, family law and civil law judgments to provide our lawyers with tailored case law resources
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trained staff to effectively use information resources for legal research
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produced 12 case law, 5 legislation and 5 legal news alerting services for legal and corporate teams
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developed legal research training resources to support our partner law firms
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improved internal processes for indexing case law databases.
Reducing environmental impact
During 2025–26, we continued to meet compliance standards and promote environmental stewardship by:
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increasing the number of energy-efficient vehicles in our fleet
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recycling furniture, fixtures and fittings for any fitout works
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continuing our relationship with a social enterprise to handle e-waste sustainably, with proceeds supporting their social objectives
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maintaining the high efficiency water chiller at our 44 Herschel Street Brisbane office to improve energy efficiency and control over the building’s air conditioning system
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incorporating innovative and sustainability-focused criteria into procurement processes.
Figure 11. Herschel St, Brisbane office water consumption
Herschel St, Brisbane office water consumption over the past 5 years
- 2021-22 - approximately 700 kilolitres
- 2022-23 - approximately 1250 kilolitres
- 2023-24 - approximately 1350 kilolitres
- 2024-25 - approximately 2450 kilolitres
- 2025-26 - approximately 1700 kilolitres
Figure 12. Herschel St, Brisbane office energy consumption
Herschel St, Brisbane office energy consumption over the past 5 years
- 2021-22 - approximately 600 kilowatt hours ('000)
- 2022-23 - approximately 650 kilowatt hours ('000)
- 2023-24 - approximately 550 kilowatt hours ('000)
- 2024-25 - approximately 545 kilowatt hours ('000)
- 2025-26 - approximately 650 kilowatt hours ('000)
Information and Communication Technology program
During 2025–26, we continued to deliver on the goals of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Strategic Plan 2023–26. We focused on delivering secure, modern and efficient ICT services that support Legal Aid Queensland’s mission of providing high-quality legal assistance to the community.
The ICT Strategic Plan 2023–26 outlines the key areas in which we will focus planning, investment and delivery:
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enhanced client engagement
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an efficient and collaborative workplace
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improved cyber resilience
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improved business systems and infrastructure.
During the year, we:
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completed our 2-year information security roadmap
- implemented the Rapid7 cybersecurity tool to enhance threat detection and response capabilities
- enabled remote device wiping for all Legal Aid Queensland devices to enhance security and protect sensitive information
- strengthened the security on all databases by encrypting data and introduced change control processes to improve database governance
- strengthened cyber resilience by updating and delivering mandatory information security training to all staff
- implemented a new Acceptable Use Policy, Business Continuity Plan, and Incident Response Plan to strengthen governance and operational readiness
- managed 14,805 service desk tickets and successfully closed 14,775, reflecting a 7.4% increase in demand for ICT services compared with 2024–25
- processed 462 change requests, representing a 46.7% increase compared with the previous year
- completed a disaster recovery test to ensure business continuity in crisis events
- established staged automatic software updates to ensure systems remain current and secure
- progressed planning and testing for the Visualfiles 6.1 upgrade
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began rolling out Microsoft Intune to enhance device management and security
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piloted OneDrive desktop integration to streamline file accessibility and collaboration
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upgraded videoconferencing devices in meeting rooms, including Cisco room bars, to support virtual and hybrid meetings
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completed critical annual IT infrastructure activities, including security patching, network link upgrades and hardware refreshes to maintain a secure and reliable environment
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supported updates to business systems, including the Grants Online Refresh project and document scanning systems, to streamline processes and improve operational efficiency.
During the year, we completed the Queensland Government IS18 Information Security Annual Return and attestation process for 2024–25. The CEO’s information security attestation is published on our website at www.legalaid.qld.gov.au/About-us/Our-organisation/Governance-framework.