Personal information we hold
What personal information is held by Legal Aid Queensland and why?
Legal Aid Queensland provides legal help to financially disadvantaged Queenslanders. Our range of services include community legal education, information and referral, advice and minor assistance, lawyer assisted dispute resolution, duty lawyer services, and litigation services.
A substantial amount of personal information is collected in the ordinary course of performing our roles. Personal information held falls broadly into these 3 categories:
- client records
- staff records
- external service providers.
Legal Aid Queensland also uses camera surveillance to monitor and record activity in our offices. Further information can be found at Camera surveillance systems and your privacy.
Client records
Clients’ personal information is collected and used to:
- determine eligibility for legal aid and to administer grants of aid
- check for conflicts of interest
- administer primary dispute resolution processes
- investigate complaints
- advise and represent clients
- prepare court reports
- determine applications made under the Right to Information and Information Privacy Acts.
The types of personal information collected may include:
- personal details, including date of birth, postal and permanent address, contact details, names and date of birth of children, identification of social security benefit and the social security number
- financial information including bank statements, Centrelink statements and details of other individuals who provide 'financial help'
- results of applications for legal aid, including means and merit assessments
- complaints about clients’ eligibility for legal aid and any investigation of eligibility
- complaints by clients about service delivery issues and any investigation of complaint
- details of legal issue, including court documents, statements, QP9’s, criminal histories and expert reports, instructions, attendances, advices, witness statements, medical reports and expert reports
- family dispute resolution reports
- DNA parentage testing requests and reports
- court outcomes
- records of reviews to the External Review Officer
- co-accused details or (for family law cases) the respondent’s details eg name and address, DOB, lawyer’s name and address
- personal and financial information collected for debt recovery action against clients and against other parties, including mortgage details, and agreements to pay outstanding debts
- incident reports on acts of violence or threats by clients to staff.
Staff records
Personal information about Legal Aid Queensland staff is collected to undertake personnel management and recruitment.
Records relating to current and previous staff members may include:
- personal details, including home address, emergency contact, next of kin
- records relating to attendance and overtime
- leave applications and approvals
- medical records
- personal details of the members of the Board of Legal Aid Queensland
- payroll and pay related records, including banking details, tax file number, salary packaging arrangements, payroll deductions
- declarations of pecuniary interests
- performance appraisals
- records relating to personal development and training
- trade, skill and aptitude tests
- records relating to prior service
- travel documentation
- Qsuper superannuation details
- recruitment records, including applicants’ names and addresses, employment history, responses to core capabilities, referee checks
- records of accidents and injuries
- incident reports on acts of violence or threats by clients, which may contain staff and client details
- compensation case files
- rehabilitation case files
- records relating to counselling and discipline matters
- complaints about staff members
- grievances
- recommendations for reward and recognition
- details of mobile phones assigned to staff members
- details of fleet vehicles assigned to staff members, including personal details of staff allocated vehicles overnight
- photos for staff identity cards.
External service provider records
Legal Aid Queensland enters into contractual arrangements with external bodies for the supply of goods and services to the agency and agency clients.
Much of the information held relates to business entities but some personal information may be collected:
- applications and contracts to be appointed as a Legal Aid Queensland preferred supplier, barrister, child representative, conference chairperson which may include personal details of the applicant
- tenders for provision of duty lawyer services, which may include personal details of the applicant
- details of solicitors appointed as external review officers, which may include personal information
- details of complaints to Legal Aid Queensland about preferred suppliers, child representatives, counsel, conference chairpersons, arbitrators or External Review Officers and responses
- contact details of Community Legal Centres
- information such as name, address for payment, and bank account details, may be collected to allow payment of accounts as part of normal business processes.
Last updated 24 May 2022