Justice grant to fund free legal seminars on Gold Coast

Gold Coast residents will soon be able to access free legal information on a wide range of personal, family and financial topics thanks to a Queensland Government grant of $21,000.

Member for Southport Peter Lawlor said the Citizens Advice Bureau and Highway Legal Service had secured the grant to deliver legal education seminars one evening a month at various neighbourhood centres along the coast.

“These seminars will deal with matters that touch the lives of most Queenslanders at some time or another and will give local residents a great chance to learn about their options, rights and obligations free of charge in their own backyards,” Mr Lawlor said.

“The grant will cover the cost of a lawyer preparing and presenting each seminar, as well as the associated administrative and incidental expenses.”

“The lawyer will also answer general questions from members of the audience, so this is a very practical way of helping local residents come to grips with some of the legal issues they face in their day-to-day lives.”

Mr Lawlor also said Bond University would receive $34,100 to evaluate the effectiveness of a pilot project, for which it received a grant of $127,000 last year, to develop a best-practice planning model for the future of Queenslanders with impaired competence.

“This pilot project is intended to become an ongoing initiative and the evaluation of outcomes to date will help refine the service it provides,” he said.

“There has already been consultation with Carers Queensland, which was involved in the pilot, and more information will now be collected from clients, pro bono lawyers, other experts and key stakeholders.

“This grant will help fund the cost of researchers, questionnaires, participant payments, meetings, travel and administration.”

Attorney-General and Justice Minister Kerry Shine said the Gold Coast grants were among 35 initiatives to be funded this year from the Legal Practitioner Interest on Trust Accounts Fund administered by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General to enhance community legal services and education.

“These grants will help to level the legal playing field for some of the most vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised people in our society, including victims of crime, people with disabilities, Indigenous Queenslanders, young people and refugees,” he said.

“The grants will provide almost $1.7 million in total for a wide range of worthwhile projects across the State.”

“Just as the research being conducted by Bond University will eventually deliver benefits throughout Queensland, many of these other grants will support regional and State-wide initiatives that also benefit the Gold Coast region.”

1 August 2007
Media contact: Kirby Anderson (Mr Shine’s office) 3239 6400 or 0418 197 350 kirby.anderson@ministerial.qld.gov.au