Travel expenses
By air
Payment rules
Where prior approval has been obtained, the cheapest possible air fare must be booked. In no circumstances will an air fare in a class higher than economy be approved.
Audit requirements
Copies of receipts must be attached to and submitted with the proforma invoice.
By car
Payment rules
When the distance to be travelled by the service provider is more than a 35 kilometres round trip from the service provider’s office to the location (court, tribunal, conference venue, home visit, site visit etc) then, where a service provider uses their own car, a travelling allowance will be paid at the rate detailed in the scale of fees.
If the practitioner interviews a client who is in custody via video-link and travels a distance of more than 35km to conduct the interview they may claim travel time and expenses but may not claim the prison visit fee.
Audit requirements
Legal Aid Queensland will use Google map routes to determine the distance between a service providers office and the court or other location. If there are a number of alternative routes provided by Google maps the longest distance may be claimed if that is the route the practitioner takes because it is the quickest.
By taxi
Payment rules
Where a service provider has to travel to a location by air, taxi fares to and from the airport will be paid.
Taxi fares are not normally claimable however if the cost of a return taxi fare to a location more than 35 kilometres round trip from the service provider's office to the location is less than the anticipated cost of travel expenses plus parking at the location, practitioners may claim reimbursement for taxi fares rather than incurring travel expenses and parking costs.
Audit requirements
Receipts must be retained on the practitioner's file.
By hire car
Payment rules
Where prior approval has been obtained reasonable costs incurred hiring a vehicle are claimable.
Audit requirements
Copies of receipts must be retained on the practitioner's file.
Duty lawyer
Payment rules
Except where the duty lawyer is already attending the court on behalf of a private client, a travelling allowance will be paid if the total distance travelled to and from court exceeds 10 km but does not exceed 35 km. Travelling allowance in excess of 35 km will only be paid in special circumstances where prior approval has been obtained in writing from Legal Aid Queensland. A travelling allowance will only be paid to practitioners on the roster of the court or courts in the area of their normal place of business.
Parking
Payment rules
Where a service provider drives to the location (court, tribunal, conference venue, home visit, site visit etc) and is required to use their own car, reasonable parking expenses are claimable. If fixed fee disbursement grant i.e. MG1 grant, then no parking is claimable.
Where a grant of aid is subject to the condition that travel costs and expenses are not claimable, parking fees are also not claimable.
Audit requirements
Receipts verifying parking fees must be retained on the practitioners file.
By train or bus
Payment rules
Train or bus fares are claimable when the distance to be travelled by the service provider is more than a 35 kilometres round trip from the service provider’s office to the location (court, tribunal, conference venue, home visit, site visit etc).
Audit requirements
Copies of receipts must be retained on the practitioner's file.
Toll fees
Payment rules
Where a service provider uses there own car to travel to a location more than 35 km (round trip) from their office and incurs toll fees, their fees are claimable from Legal Aid Queensland.
Last updated 7 December 2015