Latest news
Welcome to the Department of Justice and Attorney-General's latest news page. Click on a story below to jump directly to it:
- Attorney-General encourages Queenslanders to participate in jury duty
- Apply early for birth certificates to beat back-to-school rush
- Government responses to coronial recommendations 2008
- Altruistic Surrogacy model released
- Justice grants to boost legal services for vulnerable Queenslanders
- Clamps tighten on serial fine dodgers
- Review of justice system
- New laws to help quell neighbourhood disputes
- Justice budget delivers on infrastructure, jobs and services
- Draft Victims of Crime Assistance Bill 2009 released for public consultation
- New central tribunal to improve access to justice for Queenslanders
- Awards for business
- Swine influenza response
- Discussion paper on 'battered persons' defence released for public comment
24/09/09 - Attorney-General encourages Queenslanders to participate in jury duty
Attorney-General Cameron Dick and Chief Justice Paul de Jersey today launched a campaign to encourage more Queenslanders to take part in jury duty.
Juries are an essential part of Queensland’s legal system and allow every member of the community the opportunity to actively participate in the work of the courts and the legal system.
While the time spent participating in jury duty is short, the contribution to the justice system and the community is significant.
It is an unfortunate reality that many people receive a notice for jury duty and instantly begin to think of ways to seek an excusal.
By launching this campaign we hope to change this attitude and see more Queenslanders actively being part of the justice process.
Being part of a jury is about everyday people being a part of the justice system and it gives Queenslanders the opportunity to participate in the justice process.
A brochure detailing the jury process will be distributed with all juror notices over coming months, to promote a realistic understanding of what is involved in jury duty.
Read the ministerial statement.
For more information about the Queensland justice system and jury duty, visit www.courts.qld.gov.au
16/09/09 - Apply early for birth certificates to beat back-to-school rush
Queensland parents are urged to apply now for birth certificates to ensure they can enrol their children to start school next year.
Birth certificates are used as proof of identity and age for children enrolling in their first year of school, including Prep year.
Application forms can be obtained from any courthouse, through the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages or by phoning the registry on 1300 366 430 to have one mailed out.
Parents who submit a completed form in person at the registry in George Street Brisbane can usually collect the birth certificate the same day, if their child's birth is already registered.
You can also submit an application at your local courthouse or by mail.
A birth certificate costs $34.00, and parents will need to provide proof of identity with the application. See a full list of proof of identity documents.
Certified copies of these documents are required if the application is being made by mail. Find a Justice of the Peace who can certify copies of documents.
Read the ministerial statement.
27/08/09 - Government responses to coronial recommendations 2008
One of the most important functions of the coronial process is to identify ways in which to reduce danger to the public and prevent avoidable deaths.
Coronial findings often include recommendations for regulatory authorities and public sector service providers including schools, hospitals, transport and law enforcement agencies.
The Queensland Government believes these recommendations and agency responses should be published in the public interest and has introduced new arrangements for annual reports to be released by the Attorney-General.
This is the first such report. It contains implementation details for 170 coronial recommendations directed to the state government in 2008.
A number of recommendations were directed to more than one department. Therefore the report totals 183 responses.
View the Queensland Government’s response to coronial recommendations.
For further information regarding the implementation of these recommendations, please contact the responsible agency named in the report.
18/07/09 - Altruistic surrogacy model released
A model for legal surrogacy arrangements in Queensland has been released which will allow Queenslanders who have been unable to conceive a child, including same-sex couples, to start a family.
The model decriminalises altruistic surrogacy, where an agreement is reached with a woman to bear a child for another person for no financial gain or personal benefit.
Queensland is the only state where altruistic surrogacy is still a criminal offence.
Intending parents will be able to apply to a court to transfer the legal parentage of a child from the birth parents to themselves, enabling them to be listed as the parents on the child's birth certificate.
The Government has also conducted a review of the status of children being cared for by same-sex parents.
Laws will be amended so that where two women decide to have a child together, both mothers can be legally recognised as the child’s parents and be listed on the child’s birth certificate.
Position papers have been released on both issues and the public has until 18 September 2009 to provide comment.
- Find out more about the position paper for the Queensland Government model decriminalisation of altruistic surrogacy and transfer of legal parentage.
- Find out more about the position paper about the Review of the legal status of children being cared for by same-sex parents.
29/07/09 - Justice grants to boost legal services for vulnerable Queenslanders
Almost $1.5 million in justice grants have been announced, supporting some of Queensland’s most vulnerable people.
A total of 19 local community justice initiatives will benefit from the funding, to help support Indigenous people, the financially-disadvantaged, people with disabilities, refugees and other vulnerable groups throughout Queensland.
The grants are distributed from the Legal Practitioner Interest on Trust Accounts Fund (LPITAF) administered by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.
These grants provide financial support to projects which level the legal playing field for some of the most vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised people in our society, and support the government's commitment to provide a fair justice system which is accessible to all Queenslanders.
The allocated grants range from $15,000 to $149,200 to support a wide range of community-based initiatives which enhance legal services and education.
Read the Attorney-General's media release. See the full list of recipients.
21/07/09 - Clamps tighten on serial fine dodgers
Queensland’s worst fine dodgers are to be targeted in a tough new enforcement program announced by the state government.
Legislation will be introduced later this year authorising the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) to:
- clamp the wheels of motor vehicles belonging to debtors who refuse to pay their fines
- seize and sell property, including motor vehicles, if offenders still refuse to pay their fines
- suspend driver licences for any unpaid fine – not just those for motor vehicle offences.
SMS messages will be used to send reminders and warnings to debtors, particularly when they default on their payments or enforcement action is imminent.
Offenders whose fines are referred to SPER have numerous ways to pay the debt, including individual instalment plans tailored to their financial circumstances.
The wheel clamping, seizure and sale strategies will start with a 12-month trial in Brisbane from January 2010.
They will only be used to recover large debts and only after other applicable collection options have been exhausted.
SPER collected $143.8 million in fines and fees last financial year, most of which went into consolidated revenue used to fund essential frontline services in Queensland.
Read the Attorney-General's media release. Find out more about how pay a fine.
21/07/09 - Review of justice system
Queensland’s criminal and civil justice systems will be modernised and streamlined as part of major legal reforms announced by the state government. View the Attorney-General’s media release.
The reforms form part of the government’s response to the review of the state’s justice system by the Honourable Martin Moynihan AO QC.
The reforms will be implemented in two stages, focused on delivering key efficiencies. The first stage will include:
- an expansion in the type of criminal cases to be heard and tried summarily in the Magistrates Court
- an increase in the criminal jurisdiction of the District Court, from offences with a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment or less to those with a maximum of 20 years
- simplification of prosecution disclosure provisions and increased compliance measures to ensure all parties can be well prepared for court appearances
- changes to sentencing laws to encourage greater transparency regarding the benefit of an early guilty plea
- reforms to the committal process to streamline hearings and improve efficiency
- an increase in the monetary limits for civil disputes in the District Court (to $750,000), Magistrates Court (to $150,000) and Small Claims Tribunal (to $25,000), which will form part of the new Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal from 1 December 2009.
A Bill will be introduced for the first stage of reforms in State Parliament later this year.
The second stage of reforms will involve the development of a new Criminal Justice Procedure Act, and uniform criminal procedure rules and forms to consolidate, modernise and streamline criminal justice procedure in Queensland.
19/07/09 - New laws to help quell neighbourhood disputes
Outdated neighbour laws will be repealed and replaced to quell disputes over dividing fences and nuisance trees.
The Government will repeal the Dividing Fences Act 1953 and develop laws to deal directly with the issue of nuisance trees.
Currently there is no specific law in Queensland which addresses nuisance trees in the neighbourhood, but statewide consultation has shown that this is one of the major issues of contention between neighbours.
The new laws are currently being drafted but are likely to identify exactly what constitutes a ‘nuisance tree’ and outline clear remedies when trees cause a private nuisance to landowners.
Read the joint media statement by the Premier and Attorney-General.
16/06/09 - Justice budget delivers on infrastructure, jobs and services
Substantial investment in infrastructure, including modern justice facilities, was a key focus of the 2009-10 State Budget handed down today.
The Department of Justice and Attorney-General's $884 million budget provides significant capital works funding, including:
- $152 million for Queensland's new $600 million Supreme and District Court complex in Brisbane
- $27.2 million for the new $91.5 million Ipswich courthouse, and
- $3.8 million to complete stage 2 of the $10 million refurbishment of the Toowoomba courthouse.
Specific funding has been allocated for the new Victims Financial Assistance and Services Scheme and new Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, both of which start on 1 December this year.
Other funded initiatives include continued investment in the state's prosecution services, modernising access to historical registry records, and helping address the underlying causes of homelessness to reduce numbers of homeless people involved with the criminal justice system.
The departmental budget also provides more than $126 million in 2009-10 to industrial relations services and electrical and workplace safety, to further improve workplace health and safety, electrical safety in the community and fairness at work.
View our department's 2009-10 Budget Highlights brochure and 2009-10 Agency Service Delivery Statement.
Read the Attorney-General's Ministerial media statement. Read the Treasurer's Budget speech.
20/05/09 - Draft Victims of Crime Assistance Bill 2009 released for public consultation
Attorney-General Cameron Dick is calling for public comment on a draft bill outlining the complete overhaul of Queensland's victims compensation system.
The Victims of Crime Assistance Bill 2009 sets out the functions of the new Victims Financial Assistance and Services Scheme (VFASS), which is expected to be introduced in Queensland this December. The new scheme is designed to provide victims of crime with faster, more effective financial assistance and coordinated support services.
VFASS will replace the current scheme under the Criminal Offence Victims Act 1995 (COVA).
Public comment on the draft Bill closes on 12 June 2009. Submissions can be sent to Director, Strategic Policy, Department of Justice and Attorney-General, GPO Box 149, Brisbane QLD 4001 or by email to VFASS@justice.qld.gov.au.
Read the draft Bill. Read the Ministerial media statement.
19/05/09 - New central tribunal to improve access to justice for Queenslanders
Attorney-General Cameron Dick has introduced a bill into State Parliament which will streamline access to civil and administrative justice in Queensland.
The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Bill will create a new central tribunal (QCAT), making it easier for Queenslanders with civil and administrative matters to access the appropriate support and information.
QCAT will simplify access to justice in Queensland, by amalgamating jurisdictions from 23 bodies, into a single one-stop-shop.
This change will be the most significant structural reform to Queensland's justice system in 50 years.
QCAT will focus on:
- resolving disputes
- reviewing decisions of government agencies and statutory bodies
- making guardianship and administration orders
- conducting disciplinary proceedings for a range of professions and occupations.
Read the Ministerial media statement.
12/05/09 - Awards for business
Know of a business or organisation making a contribution to reconciliation?
Nominate them for the 2009 Reconciliation Awards for Business. Nominations close May 25.
1/05/09 - Swine influenza response
Queensland Health is coordinating Queensland’s response to the international outbreak of swine flu. Queensland Health is working with other departments, including the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, to ensure Queenslanders are protected and provided with support and information.
More information is available from the Queensland Health website or by calling 13Health (13 43 25 84).
26/04/09 - Discussion paper on ‘battered persons’ defence released for public comment
Attorney-General Cameron Dick has released a discussion paper on the development of a new ‘battered persons’ defence.
The paper, titled Victims who kill their abusers: A Discussion Paper on Defences, was prepared by Professors Geraldine Mackenzie and Eric Colvin of Bond University, to provide an opportunity for the community and government to consider the need for legal reform in this area.
The discussion paper is a result of a review of the use of provocation and accident defences in murder and manslaughter trials, conducted by the Queensland Law Reform Commission last year.
The review recommended that consideration be given, as a matter of priority, to a separate defence for people who are victims of seriously abusive relationships.
The discussion paper is open for public comment until 15 May 2009. Submissions can be sent to attorney@ministerial.qld.gov.au or Office of the Attorney-General, GPO Box 149, Brisbane.
Read the discussion paper. Read the Ministerial media statement.
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