Attorney-General congratulates 200 years of Legal Aid service

Attorney-General Kerry Shine has congratulated 15 Legal Aid Queensland staff for a combined 200 years of service of providing access to quality legal services.

Mr Shine said Legal Aid Queensland played a very important role, particularly to ensure disadvantaged Queenslanders can access legal assistance and ultimately justice.

“In 2005-06, Legal Aid Queensland assisted 238,462 people were given immediate assistance through Legal Aid Queensland’s Client Information Services call centre; 50,065 people received free legal advice from a solicitor at a face-to-face advice session, by telephone or video conference, and 32,653 applications for legal aid were approved,” Mr Shine said.

“These results cannot be achieved without the dedication and expertise of staff.”

Mr Shine congratulated the Legal Aid Queensland staff who have achieved 10, 20 or 30 years of service during 2006.

The Legal Aid Queensland staff* honoured today were:

·Colleen Johnson (Rockhampton) - 30 years;

·Wayne Black (Toowoomba), Sandy Seckold and Terence Tan - 20 years;

·Helen Boreham, Murray Brown, Peter Cousins, Nicky Davies, Yasmin Gunn, Enid Lunow, Jennifer McArdle, Dung Nguyen, Elizabeth Shearer, Justin Stevenson and Rosemarie Van Haeften - 10 years.

*The staff members are Brisbane-based unless otherwise indicated.

7 December 2006
Media contact: Kirby Anderson 3239 6400 or 0418 197 350
kirby.anderson@ministerial.qld.gov.au