Dotted through the warm, azure seas of the Torres Strait, the island communities in this beautiful region are the most geographically remote of all the QIFVLS service areas. Travel there requires any particular combination of charter aircraft, ferries and hire cars. Despite this, the QIFVLS team maintain a consistent presence throughout the region, offering vital access to Domestic and Family Violence Legal Services. This month we travel north to our Thursday Island office to see how QIFVLS operates in this unique part of Queensland.
The Thursday Island office covers eleven outer Torres Strait Islands, Thursday Island and three other nearby islands, as well as the five communities in the NPA for core legal work. Court is held on Thursday Island and in the NPA once a month and on the outer Islands every three months.
QIFVLS Case Management Officer Karen Keane is based permanently at our Thursday Island office and offers a friendly, familiar face to the local community. Read more about Karen’s own story later in this February edition of Our Communities Matter. With no full-time QIFVLS lawyer on the island, Leah King from our Brisbane office, provides the necessary legal support with monthly circuits to Thursday Island and Bamaga, together with remote appointments over the phone via a three-way call. Many of our clients in the TI community see this as an ideal arrangement, and appreciate having their matter handled by someone who isn’t local and will be completely impartial.
The people of the Torres Strait are well known to be a welcoming and multicultural community. Given that QIFVLS’ clients are predominantly Torres Strait Islanders, our Thursday Island team take care to be respectful of cultural protocols and local Lore. In some communities during Court sessions, the Community Justice Group actively participate with the Magistrate, providing them with an opportunity to speak and offer relevant information that may inform decisions or sentencing.
Servicing an area that’s scattered across so many remote islands understandably brings its own challenges, foremost of these being the geography. Small charter aircraft are used to reach the Outer Islands, and ferries for the inner islands and the mainland. Power and phone lines may be down at any time, limiting network access, in addition to general reception issues.
QIFVLS are proud to enjoy excellent relationships with our stakeholders in the region to connect with clients or obtain community information prior to travel. This maximises our efficiency on the ground and ensures that we have prior knowledge when there is sad news or sorry business.
This February, the QIFVLS Board met for their quarterly meeting on Thursday Island. This also gave members of the Board and Executive Team the opportunity to meet face-to-face with the leadership of the TSRA where a wide range of forward planning matters were discussed.
Another highlight of the Board and Executive Teams visit to Thursday Island was the unveiling of the Barry Doyle Memorial, featuring his portrait, a plaque and a painting by Aunty Bino’s son. This Memorial to our organisation’s founding member and first Chairman adorns the reception walls of each Queensland office and is a proud acknowledgement of this highly respected and fondly remembered figure in the QIFVLS story.
Armed with an understanding of the unique needs of the Far North, QIFVLS has begun its remote circuit work for the year.
Solicitor Team Leader Taylah McCarthy and Case Management Officer Andrew Adidi completed their Cooktown Court Circuit in February, working from a base in the remote town for four days.
The pair travelled to surrounding communities, meeting with clients, attending court, engaging with stakeholders and delivering Community Education and Community Legal Education sessions.
Taylah said the aim of the organisation’s two-person unit approach to circuit work was to provide a holistic, wrap-around service.
“The solicitor’s role is to provide and meet all the client’s legal needs such as providing the client with advice, attendance at relevant meetings and conferences, assistance with negotiations, representation at court and any other legal needs that may arise,” she said.
“Our Case Management Officer (CMO) role is an identified position, and they are responsible for meeting all the client’s non-legal needs and providing a culturally sensitive approach.
“CMOs can assist with linking in clients to relevant support agencies, for example assistance with housing and counselling.
“They also assist with the breakdown of the legal language barrier that can often arise, particularly with vulnerable clients in remote communities who already have limited access to support services and may not have previously spoken to a lawyer or had to attend court before.”
Taylah said most court matters related to child protection, and domestic and family violence.
“We will often have clients where we are already retained for the matter, and we will appear at court,” she said.
“Then there are clients that come to us on the day of court for their matter as they do not have a lawyer, and we can provide advice and assist them with appearing on the day.
Taylah said community education was of great benefit in the visited areas, which had limited support services. Topics covered include healthy and unhealthy relationships, elder abuse and bullying.
“Our education sessions are aimed at community members and workers to educate and bring light to matters in an informal, engaging and interactive manner,” she said.
“We seek to inform those people of the relevant concepts and principles of the varying areas of law. We focus on the underlying structures, law and legal processes.”
Taylah said QIFVLS provided invaluable support to vulnerable clients in remote communities.
“It is important work that we do for clients that may otherwise not have access to legal services,” she said.
“Particularly face-to-face contact with legal services, as there are very few services that travel to the communities to provide assistance and advice in the areas of law that we cover
QIFVLS also has Health Justice Partnerships with health services in surrounding areas.
“Our service identified there was a need to provide clients with broader reach, early intervention, accessibility and enhanced service delivery in the health and wellbeing domain,” Taylah said.
“QIFVLS aims to provide a holistic legal service to clients who primarily seek health and wellbeing support, as opposed to legal assistance or advice.
“The HJPs cater for further accessibility to legal services, early intervention and identification of legal issues and a better quality of service.”
In response to growing pressure from groups such as QIFVLS, the Federal Government established a Senate, Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee in 2022 to examine the grossly disproportionate numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children who have gone missing or have been murdered across the country, citing at least 315 suspicious cases since 2000.
The Government’s National Plan aims to end violence against women and children within one generation, and Target 13 of Closing The Gap is for all forms of family violence and abuse against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island women and children to be reduced by at least 50% by 2031.
This February, QIFVLS PLO Thelma Schwartz and Kulumba Kiyingi attended the Senate Committee Hearing in Brisbane, together with Greens Senators Dorinda Cox (a Yamatji-Noongar woman) and Larissa Waters.
During the Hearing, Senator Cox said she hadn’t been satisfied with the Government’s response so far, and said an holistic approach is needed: “I think that we cannot devalue the issues of state sanctioned violence. We have rising child protection with unacceptable rates of violence and incarceration”
Both Thelma and Kulumba were provided with a platform to deliver QIFVLS own experience. In part, Thelma noted “We’re over policed and under policed. Where is the justice for the women and children in this country who are Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander?” She told the hearing that the National Plan isn’t helping keep First Nations women safe. “Are we there yet? No, not anywhere near it. And I don’t want to be taking part in another enquiry, with respect, that just pays lip service to those victims and survivors who are invisible”.
Senator Cox said truth telling is needed at the highest level: “We need systemic change and structural reform. So until that happenes, we are going to continue to see a rise in rates of crime against First Nations women.
A report is due at the end of June.
Ochre Ribbon Week is an ATSI-led campaign to raise awareness of the devasting impacts of family violence within our communities and a call for action to end the violence. This year, from the 12-19th February, QIFVLS offices from around the state got behind the theme ‘Don’t Silence The Violence’ with a range of activities and events. The images below provide a taste of how the teams help to raise awareness in their region.
Uncle Barry Watson, a Brisbane Elder, had the privilege of presenting certificates to the 2024 Barry Doyle School Based Scholarship recipients, on behalf of QIFVLS.
The recognition event happened on Griffith University Campus on the 27th February in Brisbane. This is the third year that QIFVLS have sponsored the $1000 a year scholarship for students in Years 11 and 12.
QIFVLS is supported in this endeavour through the work of the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation, Michael Naylor and his small team, who are the Secretariat and are much appreciated.
The intent of the scholarship is to support our young people to create their own great foundations for their futures and to perhaps pique interest in a legal learnings pathway.
In keeping with the Thursday Island theme of this OCM edition, it seemed only right to feature the local Case Management Officer, Karen Keane. Not naturally one to promote herself, we managed to get these lovely insights from Karen when we spoke to her recently.
OCM: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from originally?
Karen: I am a proud ATSI woman from Mer Island in the Torres strait and the Yupungathi People from the Weipa area. I am a Mother and a grandmother, I have lived on Thursday Island all my life and would consider myself to be a humble and respectful person.
OCM: How did your career path lead you to QIFVLS?
OCM: What is it that you love about living here?
Karen: I enjoy being surrounded by water and the slow pace. I also love the fact that our children are safe and we don’t have to worry about where they are.
OCM: Thanks Karen
Are you in search of an rewarding profession that will take you on journeys through the breathtaking landscapes of Queensland? One that promises not only career advancement and skill enhancement, but also attractive perks, substantial travel allowances, and one-of-a-kind professional adventures? Are you drawn to a career that enables you to make a positive difference in the lives of others?
Look no further – your new career awaits you! At QIFVLS, we are dedicated to combating Family and Domestic Violence within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities. Our methods encompass education, advocacy, legal reform, court support, and casework assistance. By focusing on early intervention and prevention, our aim is to empower individuals impacted by Family Violence to regain control over their lives. We are in search of outstanding and dynamic individuals who can join us in achieving this mission.
If you envision yourself fitting into this scenario, we encourage you to see what’s available here.
Please consider making a personal or corporate donation to help our teams deliver the services that are so vital to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Watch the video below for one example of how some of the donations made to QIFVLS is utilised to make the lives of people in crisis better.
