Scholarship honours shining star

Published Wednesday, 17 June, 2015 at 02:22 PM

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Training and Skills
The Honourable Yvette D'Ath

A gifted and much-loved young mediator who lost his life in a surfing accident last October made such an impression that a special scholarship has been introduced in his honour.

The first annual Jack Cranstoun Memorial Scholarship was presented to four young aspiring mediators in front of Mr Cranstoun’s family at the Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts today. 

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said Jack, who was 26, impressed his Department of Justice and Attorney-General’s Dispute Resolution Branch colleagues with his passion and ability.

 “Jack was a real shining star and endeared himself to everyone he came in contact with, be it his workmates or the people whose problems he was helping to solve,” Ms D’Ath said.

 “Clients instantly liked him and he was much loved by his colleagues. When he left work at the end of a week he made a point of going round the office and wishing every person a good weekend.

  “His colleagues could think of no better way to remember a very dear and respected mate than to offer opportunities in Jack’s name to young people in the Justice sector.”

 Mediators are employed to guide conflicted parties through a structured process relating to neighbours, family, commercial, workplace or property disputes, often at no cost.

 With a success rate of around 85 per cent in settling community disputes, mediators save time, legal fees and court costs for the people involved ­– and the community at large – and help to free up the court system.     

 This year the Jack Cranstoun Memorial Scholarships will provide training at the Dispute Resolution Branch for four young people to gain mediation skills and assessment for National Mediator Accreditation.

 The initial recipients – Tanya Diessel (Worongary, Gold Coast), Joshua Rhee (Robertson, Brisbane), Texas Nagel (Cairns) and Lisa Phan (Camira, Ipswich) – were officially presented with their scholarships by Ms D’Ath.

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