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Specialist Women’s Legal Services preparing to double over four years
Women’s Legal Services in Queensland are preparing to double in size following the Federal Government’s pledge to increase funding for Women’s Legal Centres over the next four years.
The Women’s Budget Statement promises $129 million over four years for increased legal assistance funding to help women access justice. This funding is to be directed specifically to women’s legal centres, to enable these providers to respond to increasing demand for assistance with domestic violence matters.
Queensland has three women’s legal services – Women’s Legal Service Queensland in Brisbane, the North Queensland Women’s Legal Service with offices in Townsville and Cairns, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Women’s Legal Service, also based in Townsville. Each service contributed to a National Costing model which mapped unmet legal need for women at risk of experiencin
Call for urgent review of Queensland family violence police procedures after attempted murder charges laid theguardian.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theguardian.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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The Family Court system has emerged as a big winner in this year’s budget, with political imperatives around women and family violence helping it secure an unprecedented funding boost.
An extra $100 million over four years will allow for two more judges in the Family Court (FCA), eight more judges for the Family Circuit Court (FCC) and an extra 80 court staff, including 52 registrars.
Big winner: The head of the Family Court and the Federal Circuit Court, Chief Justice Will Alstergren.
Eddie Jim
Family Court Chief Justice Will Alstergren predicted the extra money and other reforms to the system would reduce the backlog of cases not finalised within a year from 40 per cent to 10 per cent.
Last modified on Sat 8 May 2021 20.01 EDT
Six months before she was murdered, Noelene Beutel was beaten within an inch of her life; beaten so badly she ended up in hospital, her teeth cracked and her face covered in bruises.
Two Queensland police officers came to the hospital to take a statement, but Noelene wouldnât speak to them. She was antagonistic â a response borne of fear and distress. At the same time her attacker was at home, looking after their infant daughter.
So the police turned and left. According to the state coroner they âresponded poorly ⦠and wrote off the jobâ.
Guardian Australia has spoken to three separate researchers who say their attempts to undertake academic studies related to the policing of domestic violence were refused in a manner that implied police practices were already adequate and that research was not needed.
Police and the Queensland government have also resisted calls by the Women’s Legal Service Queensland for a comprehensive audit of underlying officer attitudes.
While police concede there have been systemic failures to protect women, they say publicly that problematic officers and their poor responses are outliers. It’s said that suggesting police have a cultural problem is “offensive”.