Free legal help for primary producers facing financial hardship

July 13, 2015
Media release
For immediate release

LEGAL AID Queensland has expanded its Farm and Rural Legal Service to ensure Queensland primary producers facing financial hardship as a result of natural disasters can access free legal help.

“The Farm and Rural Legal Service provides free legal advice and prepares for and represents land owners at mediations with their financial institutions,” Legal Aid Queensland’s CEO Anthony Reilly said.

“Over the past two years we have seen significant growth in demand for the service across the state.

“To meet this growing demand we’ve recently contracted three regional law firms to deliver the service on Legal Aid Queensland’s behalf. These three regional law firms will supplement the services currently being delivered by Legal Aid’s specialist Farm and Rural Legal Service in-house lawyer.

“Increasing our service delivery capacity will help ensure primary producers located throughout Queensland have access to free legal help and debt mediation.”

Primary producers in the Rockhampton, Mackay and Cairns regions facing financial hardship can now contact one of the following three law firms directly to access the free Farm and Rural Legal Service:

Rockhampton
Grant & Simpson Lawyers
Contact person: Ross McLellan  Ph (07) 4999 2009

Mackay
McKays Solicitors
Contact person: Paul Penridge  Ph (07) 4963 0842 or 0401 274 099

Cairns
Jim Brooks Lawyer
Contact person: Jim Brooks  Ph 0412 353 735

Primary producers can also contact Legal Aid Queensland directly on 1300 65 11 88 or visit www.legalaid.qld.gov.au to find out more information or to access the service. 

Media contact:
Amanda Catania  Ph: (07) 3238 3004 or Katherine Gorter Ph: (07) 3238 3301

Last updated 4 November 2015