Preferred supplier newsletter — March 2022
This month:
Annual report
Legal Aid Queensland’s annual report for 2020-21 is now available.
You can also view our latest video which provides a snapshot of LAQ’s achievements from the 2020-21 annual report.
We assessed 45,909 new applications for aid and approved 35,389. In addition, 77,573 extensions were issued, and 79,323 accounts were paid. About 75-80 percent of our legal representation was provided by private lawyers and our expenditure to private lawyers for representing clients was $72.9 million.
Approved private lawyers also assisted our office to provide duty lawyer services in criminal law, family law, domestic and family violence and child protection.
We thank our preferred suppliers, the barristers they brief and the experts that undertake legal aid work for partnering with us to perform a great public service in delivering access to justice to the people of Queensland.
2019–22 Independent Children’s Lawyer and Separate Representative Agreement
The 2019-22 Independent Children’s Lawyer and Separate Representative Agreement expires on 31 July 2022.
New applications under the 2019-22 Independent Children’s Lawyer and Separate Representative Agreement will close at 5pm on Thursday, 14 April 2022. Applications will not be accepted after this date. Applications will reopen when the 2022-25 application package is released (expected May 2022) and the new agreement will commence on 1 August 2022.
Videoconference booking forms go online
LAQ’s videoconferencing team have been developing some new online forms to streamline the process for booking videoconferences with clients in prisons. We’re pleased to announce that the new forms are now available and ready for use. You can access the booking forms from the For Lawyers page on our website (see Queensland correctional centres videoconference bookings). Booking forms have been created for every Queensland correctional centre so you can see the available session times when you make a booking. You can select a preferred conference date/s and notify the videoconferencing team if your request is urgent. You will also receive an immediate verification by email when your booking request has been submitted, and as usual, our videoconferencing will get back to you within 24 hours.
All videoconference bookings should now be submitted using the online booking forms.
Amendment to the Operating Practice Manual relevant to domestic violence matters
An amendment has been made to the Operating Practice Manual used by police and now requires a police prosecutor freedom to, if requested by the magistrate, produce to the court a criminal history and a previous DV occurrences report. This is in both police and private applications. It does not place a proactive duty on police prosecutors to place this before a court but only at the magistrate’s request.
The domestic violence chapter on the OPM can be viewed here .
Latest news about QTranscripts portal
The March Newsletter (pdf) is now available from the Department of Justice and Attorney-General/Recording and Transcription Project.
This newsletter provides an overview of the process for logging in to the QTranscripts web-based portal via a QGov business email account, information about the support/inquiry services and support library, and the process for requesting historical transcripts all of which will be introduced to coincide with implementation of the new system in the second quarter of 2022.
For more information about the project, including previous newsletters, visit
https://www.justice.qld.gov.au/initiatives/recording-and-transcription-project
Youth Practitioner Certification Training
The Youth Practitioner Certification is a compulsory certification program for all youth lawyers undertaking Childrens Court duty lawyer and/or file work. This certification aims to enhance the skills of lawyers providing legal services to young people and create a greater understanding of the knowledge required to work with vulnerable youth. All lawyers must complete the program before working with youth and this requirement has been added to the criminal law case management standards.
LAQ is organising a Youth Practitioner Certification Training session in May 2022 for practitioners who wish to undertake the training.
Below are the details and the link to register:
- Friday, 6 May 2022—Legal Aid Queensland Auditoriums, Face-to-face or webinar option available. Register here.
In person attendance is encouraged, however there are limited spots available for the face-to-face sessions. A webinar option will be available for those practitioners unable to attend in person.
If you have any questions in relation to the above, please call Rhian on 07 3917 0339 or send an email to youth.certification@legalaid.qld.gov.au
Grants E-Learning Module
Have you viewed our online training package developed for our preferred suppliers and their support staff which provides an overview on applying for grants of aid and supports compliance with requirements around applying for and managing grants of legal aid? This resource is available in Grants Online – Policies and Standards – Grants E-Learning Module.
Other resources available in Grants Online – Policies and Standards include:
- Elodgement User Manual
- instructional video - how to submit an application
- instructional video - how to submit an invoice.
Continuing professional development
Recorded CPD seminars are available on Grants Online under the Information Resources tab.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates
The latest information about Coronavirus (COVID-19) for preferred suppliers can be viewed here.
Preferred suppliers are reminded to ensure they are confident in their ability to respond to COVID-19 by understanding the risk, minimising it where possible and complying with government and court directions.
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 any time.
Your feedback is important to us. We ensure a senior staff member investigates all issues raised thoroughly and we analyse all feedback every quarter to see what processes and services can be improved.