Preferred supplier newsletter—July 2021

This month:

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates
  • Grants Online support resources — Grants division overview and using Grants Online
  • Grants Online
  • Disability Royal Commission
  • Criminal jurisdiction — online application for a court event
  • Department of Justice recording and transcription project
  • Legal Aid Queensland Appeals Unit
  • Paternity testing in family law — DNA testing provider change
  • Continuing professional development
  • Feedback

Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates

The latest information about Coronavirus (COVID-19) for preferred suppliers can be viewed here.

Grants Online support resources — Grants division overview and using Grants Online

Grants Online has a range of resources to support gaining a greater understanding of the activities of the Grants division, as well as providing specific instructions on how to use Grants Online. The Grants Overview e-learning module provides a full overview of the Grants division, including who we are, how we process requests and where to go for further support. The E-lodgement User Manual and two instructional videos (how to submit an application and how to submit an invoice) provide detailed step by step instructions.

These resources can be accessed from the policies and standards section of Grants Online:

Grants-online-screenshot

We also offer more tailored training for how to use Grants Online. If you would like any training, or further support with using Grants Online, please email laqgrantstraining@legalaid.qld.gov.au with details of the training you are wanting.

Grants Online

An outage to Grants Online is currently expected to take place over a weekend late in August. Once dates are confirmed we will let you know.

Disability Royal Commission

The Disability Royal Commission (DRC) was established in April 2019 to investigate and report on:

  • what should be done to prevent, and better protect, people with a disability from experiencing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation in all settings and contexts
  • how to achieve best practice in the reporting, investigating and responding to such conduct
  • what should be done to promote a more inclusive society that supports the independence of people with a disability.

The DRC is investigating experiences and conditions in schools, workplaces, jails and detention centres, secure disability and mental health facilities, group homes or boarding houses, family homes, hospitals and day programs.

Your Story Disability Legal Support (YSDLS) is a national service established to provide independent, free legal advice and assistance to people engaging or considering engaging with the DRC.

In Queensland, Your Story is hosted by Legal Aid Queensland and a dedicated First Nations service is hosted by the Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service (QIFVLS) located in Cairns.

Free counselling and advocacy services are also funded to support people engaging with the DRC. In addition to legal advice, Your Story can help adult prisoners and young people in detention centres to prepare and lodge a submission to the DRC.

If you have a client with a disability, or who is a family member, friend or carer of a person with disability, please consider advising them about the DRC and referring them to Your Story. Clients can contact Your Story by phone on 1800 77 1800 (free call) Monday to Friday or by email, post or online.

For further information - useful resources can be found on the DRC website disability.royalcommission.gov.au and the Your Story website yourstorydisabilitylegalsupport.org.au

People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use the National Relay Service for support when using the phone, and translating and interpreting services including Auslan can be arranged.

The DRC has until 29 September 2023 to report to government.

Criminal jurisdiction — online application for a court event

Practitioners are reminded the Queensland Courts website provides information on making an online application for a court event and the relevant cut off times:

Department of Justice recording and transcription project

A recording and transcription project is underway to implement a new recording and transcription service in Queensland Courts. More information on the project can be viewed here.

Legal Aid Queensland Appeals Unit

Legal Aid Queensland appreciates the support of preferred suppliers in undertaking appeal merit assessments where our in-house practitioners are conflicted. Our appeals team are available to offer guidance and support in navigating the merit assessment process and procedures. If you have any questions at all about Appeal record books, invoices or grants of aid, please contact the team at appeals@legalaid.qld.gov.au

Paternity testing in family law — DNA testing provider change

DNAQ (Genomics for Life Pty Ltd) has been the successful company in Legal Aid Queensland’s recent tender process for paternity testing. The new contract started on 1 July 2021 and expires on 30 June 2024.

DNAQ’s contact details are:

Email: admin@dnaq.com.au
Phone: 1300 172 837 (07 3054 4302)
Fax: 07 3054 4363
Postal Address: PO Box 1201, Milton Qld 4064

The current pricing of DNA testing will increase as follows:

  • DNA1: Obtain Standard Parentage Test — $395 including GST ($359.09 Exc. GST)
  • DNA2: Obtain an additional Standard Parentage Test — $50 including GST ($45.45 Exc. GST)
  • DNA3: Obtain overseas Parentage Test — $545 including GST ($495.45 Exc. GST)

Continuing professional development

Recorded CPD seminars are available from Grants Online under the Information resources tab.

Feedback

We welcome feedback and comments from clients, the community and our suppliers. As preferred suppliers you play an important role in helping us to provide quality legal services to disadvantaged Queenslanders. If you would like to provide comments or suggestions to us about our services, policies, processes or staff members, you can complete a contact form or email us at complaints@legalaid.qld.gov.au at any time.

Your feedback is important to us. We ensure a senior staff member investigates all issues thoroughly and we analyse all feedback every quarter to see what processes and services can be improved.