Strategic Policy and Legal Services
Strategic Policy
Strategic Policy provides 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. The unit often publishes discussion papers, exposure Bills and similar documents for the purposes of community consultation.
Consultation provides us with another way to connect with the community. It gives you the opportunity to get involved with the business of government.
Learn about our current community consultation activities.
Legal Services
Legal Services provides support to business areas that service both the community and our corporate service functions.
The business units that make up Legal Services are:
- Legal Advice and Advocacy
- Right to Information and Privacy
- Library Services
- Legal Services Coordination Unit.
Legal Advice and Advocacy
Legal Advice and Advocacy provides legal services to the Attorney-General and executive management of the department on a wide range of matters including:
- contractual and administrative law issues, statutory interpretation and workplace issues
- approved forms, subpoenas and other notices to produce
- managing litigation and other court or tribunal proceedings involving the department or departmental officer.
The team also administers a number of statutory applications made to the Attorney-General or the department including:
| Application | Authority |
|---|---|
| Interstate Prisoner Transfers (for the purpose of legal proceedings) | Prisoners (Interstate Transfer) Act 1982 |
| Financial help for legal services for CCC Crime investigation hearings | Crime and Corruption Act 2001 |
| Appointment of Drug Analysts | Drugs Misuse Act 1986 |
| Request for restricted access documents held by State Archives | Public Records Act 2002 |
| Appointment of Animal Valuers Tribunals | Criminal Code (Animal Valuers) Regulation 2014 |
| Applications to Solicitor-General for Crown Indemnity – Cabinet Guidelines | Guideline for the Grant of Indemnities and Legal Assistance to State Employees |
| Appeal Costs Fund | Appeal Costs Fund Act 1973 |
Right to Information and Privacy
The Right to Information and Privacy Unit is responsible for administering our obligations under the Right to Information Act 2009 (RTI Act) and Information Privacy Act 2009. This includes making access decisions on applications for documents under both Acts, and applications for amendment of personal information under the Information Privacy Act 2009.
RTI and Information Privacy legislation give broad access to documents of agencies and official documents of ministers, subject to certain restrictions.
Members of the public have the legal right to apply for:
- access to documents held by government agencies
- amendment of personal information held by government agencies.
The RTI Act also requires government agencies to publish a publication scheme showing what information the agency routinely makes available and how the information can be accessed.
For archived annual reports on the operation of the former FOI Act, please visit the Right to Information and Privacy website.
Legal Services Coordination Unit
The Legal Services Coordination Unit (LSCU) leads and promotes the development and implementation of legal services policy and practice across government. The LSCU also supports Queensland Government agencies to obtain efficient outcomes from legal service providers.
The LSCU:
- administers, on behalf of the Attorney-General, Cabinet issued legal services directions and guidelines
- provides advice on implementing legal services directions and guidelines to whole-of-government
- manages legal services policy and reform initiatives, particularly those with whole-of-government implications
- implements strategies to ensure government can access high quality and cost effective legal services
- supports agencies to be informed purchasers of legal services
- coordinates training opportunities and resources across government to support government lawyers
- coordinates inter-agency forums, to enable government legal managers to develop and share practice management skills, knowledge and experience and collaboratively engage in the development of legal services policy initiatives and reforms
- coordinates Queensland Government responses to coronial recommendations.