Our service areas

The Department of Justice and Attorney-General is a diverse department, which works towards justice for all Queenslanders through safe, fair and responsible community outcomes.

We provide:

Our department is committed to acting in accordance with the Human Rights Act 2019, including acting and making decisions in a way compatible with human rights, and giving proper consideration to human rights in making decisions. Find out more about our commitment to human rights (PDF).

Working with you

We provide a range of services that support a fair and just society. The services we provide directly to the public are in the areas of:

We also provide administrative support for the running of:

Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

We are responsible for recording births, deaths, marriages, changes of name and adoptions in Queensland. We also issue certificates for these life events to eligible applicants.

Family historians can also access historical birth, death and marriage records through our family history website.

See births, deaths, and marriages information and find out how to register these life events, apply for a certificate or search your family history.

Blue Card Services

We screen and monitor people who work with children and young people in Queensland. We also:

  • educate the community about the blue card system, legislative requirements and associated obligations
  • train and assist organisations with developing and implementing child and youth risk-management strategies
  • ensure regulated organisations comply with the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000.

Find out more about Blue Card Services and who needs a blue card when working with children.

Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management

We are committed to helping body corporate members, their committees and industry groups to understand Queensland’s body corporate legislation, and to avoid and resolve disputes. We provide:

See body corporate and community management.

Criminal Justice Innovation Office

We lead evidence-based policy making, focusing on innovative and long-term solutions to reform the criminal justice system and improve community safety.

Find out more about the Criminal Justice Innovation Office.

Dispute Resolution Branch

We provide independent, responsive and effective assistance to individuals and groups engaged in constructive conflict resolution. We offer training courses in mediation, facilitation and conflict resolution.

We have 4 service streams to support our strategic vision of empowering people to resolve disputes, make amends and reconnect:

  • civil mediation
  • adult restorative justice conferencing
  • child protection conferencing
  • training.

See dispute resolution information.

Office of Fair Trading

We aim to deliver a fair and safe marketplace for Queensland consumers and businesses. This means that we:

  • provide information and advice about rights and responsibilities
  • help resolve marketplace disputes
  • license a range of occupations
  • investigate unfair business practices
  • prosecute unscrupulous businesses
  • provide information about product safety.

For more information see Office of Fair Trading.

Justices of the Peace Branch

We provide information about training and appointing Justices of the Peace (Qualified—JP Qual), Justices of the Peace (JP) and Commissioners for Declarations (Cdec).

We maintain the register of Justices of the Peace and Commissioners for Declarations in Queensland. We also register JPs and Cdecs and monitor their conduct.

Visit JP information to search for your nearest JP, learn how to become a JP or Cdec or find more information for JPs and Cdecs.

Legal Assistance Strategy and Funding Unit

We help vulnerable and disadvantaged Queenslanders to access legal services, and we administer the government investment in vital justice services.

See more information about the Legal Assistance Strategy and Funding Unit.

Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation

We regulate the liquor and gambling industries across Queensland in a way that minimises harm and ensures that, on balance, Queensland and the community benefit from gambling.

Find out more about the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation.

Victim Assist Queensland

We work under the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2009. We help victims of violent crime (including all forms of domestic and family violence) to recover from their injuries. We:

  • provide financial assistance to eligible victims
  • support the victim services sector through information, coordination, research, education and funding
  • assist government and non-government agencies to comply with the Charter of Victims' Rights and manage complaints made in relation to the Charter.

See information for victims of crime.

Office for Women and Violence Prevention

We support women and girls to participate fully in the social, economic and cultural opportunities that Queensland offers; and to achieve their full potential.

We deliver services and supports that victims and their children need to be free of violence, and that ensure perpetrators are held to account for their actions and given opportunity to change their behaviour.

We drive reform to strengthen community and whole of government responses to gendered violence by changing community attitudes and behaviours, integrating service responses and strengthening justice system responses.

See more information about Office for Women and Violence Prevention.

Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal

The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) is an independent, fair and efficient tribunal for all Queenslanders.

We resolve disputes, and make and review decisions about matters including guardianship, residential and retail tenancy disputes, debt, consumer issues, trader disputes, building and minor civil disputes, matters affecting children and young people, discrimination, and occupational and business regulation matters.

See more information about QCAT.

Court Services Queensland

Courts in Queensland are impartial. This means they can settle disputes, deal with people who break the law, and determine the legal rights and obligations of individuals, business and government.

While we cannot influence decisions made by a judge or magistrate, Court Services Queensland provides administrative support to Queensland courts, as well as:

  • support for victims of crime
  • access to court diversion programs
  • administrative assistance and services to assist residential tenants
  • access to other government services.

For more information, including Queensland Courts publications, see Queensland Courts.

Working for you

Behind the scenes, our areas that enable the department to support a fair and just society include:

Corporate services

We support departmental operations and provide expert advice on:

  • human resources
  • marketing, communication and online services
  • facilities and property management
  • financial services
  • corporate governance
  • information technology services.

Office of the Director-General

We are the liaison point between the department and the ministerial offices of the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Leader of the House. We provide professional advice and executive support to the Director-General by undertaking and coordinating policy research and analysis through our Executive Services Branch.

We monitor and make recommendations about the operational management of the department’s divisions through the work of the Internal Audit Unit and the Ethical Standards Unit.

Strategic Policy and Legal Services

We provide policy advice to the Minister, the Director-General, other state government departments and Commonwealth agencies about all areas for which the minister and department are responsible. We often publish discussion papers, exposure Bills and similar documents for the purposes of community consultation.

We provide legal services through:

  • Legal Advice and Advocacy—providing legal services to the Minister and executive management
  • Right to Information and Privacy—managing access to and publication of documents held by government agencies
  • Legal Services Coordination Unit—leading and promoting the legal services policy and practice across government.

For more information see Strategic Policy and Legal Services.

Office of Regulatory Policy

We provide:

  • policy and legislative development for the regulation of liquor, gaming and fair trading
  • harm-minimisation programs for the liquor and gambling industries
  • related statistical collections and research in support of liquor and gaming regulatory policy development.

Crown Law

Crown Law’s extensive pool of experienced lawyers advise and represent the Queensland Government in all areas of law affecting the public sector and the State of Queensland.

Crown Law operates as a self-funded business unit of our department, providing legal services to the Queensland Government only.

Crown Law provides advice and legal representation in all areas of law affecting the public sector and the State of Queensland, and its core expertise spans 20 major areas of law, with a host of specialty areas also offered to clients.

For more information see Crown Law.

Independent justice bodies

We provide varying levels of support to the following independent justice bodies that report either to the Minister or directly to Parliament.

Reporting to the Minister

Reporting directly to Parliament

Last updated:
8 May 2023
Last published:
8 May 2023