As we wind down for another year, the 2021/2022 period has been a year of change, resilience, and excitement for the Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service (QIFVLS).
To the staff of QIFVLS, the success of 2021/2022 is mainly due to your efforts and ongoing commitment. You continue to fight the good fight for first nations peoples in combatting the scourge of domestic and family violence and sexual violence in our communities.
Finally, as we wrap up and reflect on the year that was, we take with us the learnings, the successes, and the assurance that we will continue the work of helping the most vulnerable in our community to live free from violence as we embark on a new year.
–Wynetta Dewis QIFVLS CEO
Open the link provided here to read our CEOs forward in full and the entirety of the Annual Report 2021-22.
Recently our chairperson, Sergeant Adrian Geary, joined a panel as part of the White Ribbon Breakfast event in Brisbane. White Ribbon Day is about raising awareness of gendered-based violence in Australia – with a vision of an Australia where women and children are safe from violence. White Ribbon Day strives to engage and mobilise men in this mission – making women’s safety a concern for everyone.
We thought this would be a perfect time to have a quick chat and get to know our Chairperson a little better.
How long have you been involved with QIFVLS? Do you have any favourite memories of this time?
11 years 1 month and 17 days (as of today)
I love being part of a fantastic organisation and working with the passionate and inspirational staff and fellow board members who do an amazing job in serving some of our most vulnerable people in our community. One of my favourite memories would have to be attending Queensland Government House and meeting his Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey.
What does White Ribbon Day mean to you as a Police Sargent and the Chairperson of QIFVLSs Board?
White Ribbon Day is an opportunity to bring about awareness and to encourage everyone to get involved in preventing Domestic and Family Violence in their family and community. Everyone has a role to play to ensure our family and community are safe. I am a firm believer that hurt people hurt others. This means that if you don’t deal with your toxic stress or trauma, then you are at risk of passing this pain and suffering onto others who are usually the ones you love the most. It is incredibly important that we learn to deal with our toxic stress and/or trauma so we don’t pass our hurt onto others.
What were the reasons behind you joining the police force?
I was inspired to join the Queensland Police Service when I visited my school friend who had just completed the academy and was a First Year Constable posted to Townsville. Like me he was a First Nations man and I recall being so happy for him as he achieved his dream of wanting to be a police officer. I also wanted to help others and do something that was bigger than me.
Recently you partner, Senior Constable Jessie Geary, won the Australasian Council of Women and Policing (ACWAP) Emerging Leadership Award. What do you respect most about your wife’s achievements?
I am so proud of her and all her achievements. I have witness first-hand the challenges and struggles my wife has had to endure especially over the past year. She is an amazing person, an inspirational mother and police officer and I am so bless that she chose me to share her life with.
Congratulations to our Brisbane-based Solicitor and Deputy Principal Legal Officer, Leah Robertson, for her win recently at the Women in Law Awards 2022. Leah was awarded the Pro Bono/Community Legal Centre Lawyer of the Year.
This award is a wonderful recognition of Leah’s hard work and dedication. Leah is loved by staff and clients alike, and we’re all so proud that she has been recognised with this award.
Our Senior Deputy Principle Legal Officer Aaron Luki has been elected as president of the management committee of the Community Legal Centres Queensland (CLCQ).
CLCQ is a great organisation which provides support and advocacy for the 32 independent and community-led legal centres around Queensland. Congratulations to Aaron with this exciting news.
Have a look at CLCQs website to see all the amazing work they’ve been up to this year.
From providing comments on different news article, publishing media releases, and joining panels, conferences, and symposiums around the country – over the past month we have been very busy.
➞Wynetta Dewis CEO was asked to provide comment on National Indigenous Radio Service about A Call for Change – the final report for the Inquiry into QPSs responses to DFV – listen here.
➞Thelma Schwartz PLO was asked to join the panel on ABCs The Drum to also provide comment about the final report about the QPS Inquiry – watch here.
➞Thelma was also asked to respond to the ABCs Four Corners investigation looking at some horrific stories around Missing and Murdered indigenous women – watch here.
Through a grant from the E-Safety Commission, we have developed a set of resources aimed at helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people stay safe when navigating online. These resources consist of a set of guides and digital animations. Thanks to Aunty Bino Toby, our Case Management Practice & Cultural Advice Manager, for developing the guides.
We have produced three separate animations which are aimed at helping first nations people be a little more savvy online. Keep an eye out over the next few weeks for the release of our E-Safety animations and resources.
QIFVLS Chairperson, Sergeant Adrian Geary, was invited to join a panel at the Premiere’s White Ribbon Day Breakfast in Brisbane.
Thelma Swartz, QIFVLS PLO, was invited to speak at the Melbourne Women in Law 2022 Forum to talk about the power of rebellious lawyering.
Both Thelma and Adrian were asked to join a panel discussion exploring practical responses to coercive control at the Cairns SPEAQ Forum 2022 (Services and Practitioners for the Elimination of Abuse Queensland).
Out on the PICLE Circuit in the Torres Strait island group.
We have a number of employment opportunities available in different locations around Queensland. If you or someone you know is looking for an exciting opportunity to work in a career where you are directly helping people in need, while experiencing travel through amazing country, then please hop over to our employment page.
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 we utilise donations to make the lives of people in crisis better.
