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Bridge trek to mark 40 years of WLSQ

Bridges across Brisbane will turn purple today for Women’s Legal Service Queensland’s 40th anniversary and WLSQ leaders will scale the city’s most prominent bridge as a symbolic tribute.

WLSQ CEO Nadia Bromley, Chair Genevieve Dee and service founders will climb the Story Bridge to salute the more than 40 women who crammed into Women’s House in West End on the evening of 17 October 1984 to form the group.

WLSQ has now provided free, specialist assistance to more than 150,000 women impacted by domestic and family violence, and has advocated for vital policy and important law reform.

It has five offices and employs more than 90 staff, engages more than 140 volunteers and collaborates with pro-bono, community and corporate allies.


WLSQ CEO Nadia Bromley

Nadia said it was a tremendous honour to follow in the footsteps of those women.

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“Our service is still as relevant as ever,” Nadia said.

“WLSQ has come so far – implementing the Statewide Helpline and specialist high-risk domestic violence units, developing health justice partnerships, creating a financial abuse prevention unit (FAPU), forming a Regional Rural and Remote (RRR) team who travel to isolated parts of our state, and expanding to offices across South East Queensland.

“Today WLSQ can be found assisting women in Magistrates Courts, hospitals, correctional centres and in communities across Queensland, from providing community education to programs for young mothers.

“Yet we still have so much to achieve, particularly increasing and improving our support of First Nations women, women living in rural, regional and remote areas and women from multicultural backgrounds.”


WLSQ Chair Genevieve Dee

Genevieve, who is also Queensland Law Society Deputy President, said she was proud of WLSQ’s significant role in law reform and advocacy, both at the state and federal level.

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“Domestic violence is a decades-old problem that cannot be fixed by one government acting on its own once. We need wide-ranging and consistent political support to end the destructive effects of family violence throughout our communities,” Genevieve said.

“We know the right to have a seat at the table was hard fought by our founders four decades ago, and we will continue to use it to amplify the voices of women who are not being heard.

“Frontline community legal assistance services, like WLSQ, continue to leave calls unanswered because the sheer volume exceeds our staffing capacity.

“Our dream is for every woman who reaches out for help to be answered, heard and supported.”

A documentary For Her, With Her, which will chart the service’s history, will be released late next month. It will contain information from archives, as well as interviews with founders and supporters including Dame Quentin Bryce, the Honourable Margaret McMurdo and Dr Rachel Field. Watch a preview here.

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