Grant to help Toowoomba level legal playing field for disabled Queenslanders

Toowoomba will soon be home to Queensland’s first disability criminal justice centre, following the approval of a major grant by the State Government.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine today announced funding of $134,000 to establish the centre, which will provide advice, support and training to lawyers and other professionals across the State on the complex interaction of legal and disability issues.

The grant has been awarded to The Advocacy and Support Centre which also operates the only specific disability law service in Queensland representing mentally ill and intellectually impaired defendants in local courts and tribunals.

Mr Shine, the Member for Toowoomba North, said the new grant would fund a full-time lawyer, part-time research officer and administrative support, as well as establishment and running costs for office and computer equipment, motor vehicles, travel, website development and other expenses.

“This centre will build on the good work of the disability law project by delivering an unprecedented level of support, training and advocacy for legal professionals and others addressing disability issues within the criminal justice system,” Mr Shine said.

“The latest grant is in addition to permanent funding of $128,000 recently announced for the disability law project under the community legal centre program.

“It takes government support for these complementary initiatives to more than $250,000 this financial year, and more than $500,000 since 2005.”

Mr Shine said the disability law service had already proved an outstanding success, with fewer than 10 percent of defendants supported by the project committing further offences.

“That is a great result and equates to a success rate of more than 90 percent since the project began two years ago,” he said.

“This latest funding will enable the Toowoomba Community Legal Centre to share its experience and expertise with other professionals and organisations dealing with disability issues in criminal courts and tribunals around the State.”

Mr Shine said the grant was 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 new disability criminal justice centre in Toowoomba will deliver benefits throughout Queensland, many of these other grants will support State-wide, regional and rural initiatives that also benefit the people of Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.”

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