Published Tuesday, 26 August, 2008 at 02:04 PM
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister Assisting the Premier in Western Queensland
The Honourable Kerry Shine
Justice Grants Level the Playing Field for Youth and the Disabled
People with a disability and young people will be the major beneficiaries of two Queensland Government grants to help level the legal playing field in Brisbane’s north.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine today announced funding of $100,000 for Queensland Advocacy Incorporated and $30,000 for the Youth Advocacy Centre.
Mr Shine said Queensland Advocacy Incorporated’s grant would establish a police and court support program to help ensure access to justice for people with a disability.
“Funds will help recruit, train, deploy and advise volunteer support people who will attend police interviews and court appearances with victims, suspects or defendants and witnesses with a disability,” he said.
“Additionally a network of volunteer lawyers will be recruited to act on behalf of suspects with a disability.
“Volunteers will provide emotional support to victims, suspects or other witnesses during police interviews and the court process.”
Mr Shine said the program would operate in the area encompassed by the Queensland Police Service’s Metropolitan North region, which takes in the Brisbane CBD and northern suburbs, bounded by Pine Rivers in the north and west to Oxley.
“Volunteers will be on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a central phone contact line that will be available to police, legal practitioners, court administrators and the public,” he said.
“This funding will help pay for staff salaries and allowances, training, travel and general administrative expenses.”
Mr Shine said the Wooloowin-based Youth Advocacy Centre (YAC) will use its grant to produce an updated resource for youth workers assisting young people involved in the criminal justice system.
“YAC provides training to youth workers throughout Queensland and produces the ‘Laying Down the Criminal Law’ handbook for youth workers about the youth justice system, child protection, confidentiality, negligence and education,” he said.
“This funding will enable a project worker to review and update the content, and help meet other costs associated with the printing, design, publishing and launch of a third edition of the handbook.”
Mr Shine said the grant was among 28 initiatives funded this year from the Legal Practitioner Interest on Trust Accounts Fund (LPITAF) which is administered by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General to enhance community legal services and education.
“These grants will help 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.
“Grants range from $15,000 to $155,000 and will provide more than $1.8 million in total for a wide range of worthwhile projects.”
Media contact: Troy Davies 3239 6400 or 0488 799 273
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine today announced funding of $100,000 for Queensland Advocacy Incorporated and $30,000 for the Youth Advocacy Centre.
Mr Shine said Queensland Advocacy Incorporated’s grant would establish a police and court support program to help ensure access to justice for people with a disability.
“Funds will help recruit, train, deploy and advise volunteer support people who will attend police interviews and court appearances with victims, suspects or defendants and witnesses with a disability,” he said.
“Additionally a network of volunteer lawyers will be recruited to act on behalf of suspects with a disability.
“Volunteers will provide emotional support to victims, suspects or other witnesses during police interviews and the court process.”
Mr Shine said the program would operate in the area encompassed by the Queensland Police Service’s Metropolitan North region, which takes in the Brisbane CBD and northern suburbs, bounded by Pine Rivers in the north and west to Oxley.
“Volunteers will be on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a central phone contact line that will be available to police, legal practitioners, court administrators and the public,” he said.
“This funding will help pay for staff salaries and allowances, training, travel and general administrative expenses.”
Mr Shine said the Wooloowin-based Youth Advocacy Centre (YAC) will use its grant to produce an updated resource for youth workers assisting young people involved in the criminal justice system.
“YAC provides training to youth workers throughout Queensland and produces the ‘Laying Down the Criminal Law’ handbook for youth workers about the youth justice system, child protection, confidentiality, negligence and education,” he said.
“This funding will enable a project worker to review and update the content, and help meet other costs associated with the printing, design, publishing and launch of a third edition of the handbook.”
Mr Shine said the grant was among 28 initiatives funded this year from the Legal Practitioner Interest on Trust Accounts Fund (LPITAF) which is administered by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General to enhance community legal services and education.
“These grants will help 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.
“Grants range from $15,000 to $155,000 and will provide more than $1.8 million in total for a wide range of worthwhile projects.”
Media contact: Troy Davies 3239 6400 or 0488 799 273