Department of Justice and Attorney-General QLD

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced and dynamic Director to lead our department's Strategic Policy and Legislation unit. As the director, you will play a pivotal role in supporting the operation of Queensland's justice system and developing proposals for legislation within our portfolio. You will lead and manage a skilled team of policy and legal officers to deliver significant government outcomes in civil law, and represent our department at parliamentary committee hearings. If you're a policy and legislation expert ready to make an impact, apply now at https://lnkd.in/gE46BhGN. Applications close this Friday, 6 September.

In 2020, Bhavik was awarded a Jack Cranstoun Scholarship, which provides Queenslanders aged 21 to 35 with mediation training valued at over $3,000 and the opportunity to earn National Mediator Accreditation. With a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and hands-on experience at the Fair Work Commission, Bhavik saw firsthand the power of dispute resolution. ‘Observing how dispute resolution practitioners skilfully prevent matters from escalating and promote amicable agreements inspired me to apply so I could learn these skills myself,’ he shares. Bhavik describes the training as ‘simple, yet powerful’ – teaching him to deeply listen, understand motivation and find common ground between parties in a conflict. His advice to someone considering applying for the scholarship? Go for it. ‘Disputes are a part of life, and mastering the skills to navigate conflict can benefit both your professional and personal life.’ Applications for the 2024 Jack Cranstoun Scholarship are now open, closing Sunday 22 September. For details and to apply, visit https://lnkd.in/g9Nhmjk.

Vanakkam/Namaste/Namaskar (Hello) meet Vashwini Vijay! Vash Vj is an Assistant Case Manager at QCAT within the department. While Vash has spent most of her life in Australia and New Zealand and enjoys the diverse cultural landscape of both countries, she is dedicated to staying connected to her ancestral heritage. ‘My cultural heritage, a rich blend of Malaysian and South Indian influences, with ancestral roots in South India, profoundly shapes my identity. I cherish the vibrant traditions, languages, and customs of my heritage, and actively engage in cultural events, rituals, and festivals like Deepavali and Pongal, as well as regular temple visits to stay connected. My fluency in Tamil, my native mother tongue, further deepens my connection to my roots,’ she said. Vash actively participates in the department’s Language Badge program, with her cultural background assisting her to establish meaningful connections with clients from similar backgrounds. Her passion for her role shines through as she makes a positive impact on the lives of others, fostering understanding and inclusivity in every interaction. Vash says she is grateful to be part of the department, ‘It’s an environment that celebrates our differences and promotes a culture of inclusivity. Above all, I respect and value all cultures, religions, and ethnicities equally, believing that our diversity is our greatest strength.’ Thank you for sharing with us Vashwini! #diversity #inclusion #MulticulturalQueenslandMonth #MQM24

Within the justice portfolio we are fortunate to have many experts in their fields, leading our teams. But we also recognise that leadership is a skill in itself.   That is why we have created the Executive Leadership Development Program to provide opportunities for our senior portfolio leaders to invest in their own learning and continual development.   Participants were visited by program champion and our department’s Director-General Jasmina Joldić at their third session last week. Jasmina spoke about the importance of the program, strategic risk management, pursuing innovation, and the importance of whole-of-portfolio thinking.   Thank you to all the participants for your commitment to great leadership!

Applications for the 2024 Jack Cranstoun Scholarship are now open. If you're a Queenslander aged 21 to 35, this is a fantastic opportunity to develop your communication and conflict management skills. The Jack Cranstoun Scholarship provides mediation training valued at over $3000 and the opportunity to earn National Mediator Accreditation. You don't need to be a lawyer to apply – mediation training benefits people from diverse career backgrounds so this could be the perfect career-building opportunity. Apply online at https://lnkd.in/g9Nhmjk. Applications close 11.59pm Sunday 22 September.

The Queensland Government has launched landmark campaigns for consent and coercive control. The campaigns will educate the community ahead of new laws commencing in our state that will criminalise coercive control as a standalone offence and strengthen sexual consent laws. ‘See the patterns of coercive control’ shows the serious nature and impacts of coercive control. It aims to build recognition of coercive control as a pattern of abusive behaviour used against a person to limit their freedom, agency and independence. ‘Only 100% is consent’ aims to raise awareness of the affirmative model of consent, illustrating what this looks like in practice as a normal and necessary part of all positive sexual experiences. Learn more about the campaigns and the new laws: See the patterns of coercive control – https://lnkd.in/gcnrbqK2 Only 100% is consent – www.qld.gov.au/consent

Welcome to the Department of Justice and Attorney-General QLD team!

Nǐ hǎo (hello) meet Tony Hung! Tony joined the department at the end of 2022 and is the Director of Workforce Strategy and Services. He is Taiwanese through heritage but has called many countries home including New Zealand and Australia. Tony stays connected to his culture through spending time with his family, as well as speaking multiple languages at home. ‘We speak English, Chinese (Mandarin), and Tagalog (I try) as my wife is Filipino-Australian. We are well-travelled throughout Asia, including Taiwan, Philippines, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau. Apart from speaking the languages and travelling, food is a major part of culture and I dare say that my culinary experiences for Asian foods are second to none!’ he said. When we asked Tony for an example of how his cultural background has influenced his work he said, ‘Having lived in multiple countries with the ability to speak the languages has meant that I have a very open mind, and cultural sensitivity that is always front of mind when I am engaging with people. The great thing too is my colleagues across People, Capability and Culture have all come from very diverse cultural backgrounds, so I feel like I fit right in.’ At its core for Tony, is that inclusivity means respect, ‘It is a fundamental respect for each other as human beings, regardless of our ethnic background, gender, age, sexual orientation, or position titles. In the workplace, I think it’s important to be mindful of the words we use and our body language when discussing cultural traditions, backgrounds and people’s preferences. It can be easy to offend people when we don’t intend to, and assumptions can be quite a pitfall if we appear close-minded. We all have a role to play in creating the future we want and to that end, I cordially invite everyone to celebrate Multicultural Queensland Month 2024 for a more harmonious and united Queensland!’ We couldn’t have said it better. Thank you for sharing with us Tony! #diversity #MulticulturalQueenslandMonth #MQM24 #inclusion

What happens after you've been charged with an offence? Sentencing terminology can be complex which can make navigating court or legal processes daunting. Each video has been crafted to demystify terms and processes relating to sentencing, guided by the expertise of the panel and community advocates. This is one of six videos created as part of Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council's Sentencing Explained series. Made in collaboration with the Council's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander panel, the series aims to improve sentencing literacy across Queensland. Watch the full series here: https://bit.ly/4fwamCK #sentencing #auslaw #qldlaw

It’s been 100 years since women were first allowed to serve on juries in Queensland, the first state in Australia to introduce what was then a radical reform. To celebrate, the Supreme Court Library Queensland are hosting a Selden Society lecture exploring the modern challenges of ensuring jury composition reflects both the judgment of a defendant’s peers and democratic values. Join us on Thursday 22 August either online or in-person at Banco Court, Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law, Level 3, 415 George Street, Brisbane In-person: https://lnkd.in/gh_R7MBR Online: https://lnkd.in/g-kqEiBn