Queensland Law Society has highlighted priority funding areas such as access to justice, legal and other support services, as well as enhancing safeguards and improving efficiency, in its submission to the State Government for the 2025-2026 Budget.
The Society sent the submission to Treasurer David Janetzki on 14 February for consideration in the upcoming budget outlining the funding necessary to address several substantive issues affecting Queenslanders including Closing the Gap.
The funding calls were across 17 areas from privacy protections, seller disclosure, eConveyancing and services for Queenslanders in rural, remote or regional areas and reinforced the QLS Call to Parties priorities.
The submission also refers to the State Government’s commitments in its response to the QLS Call to Parties.
Increased funding for Queensland Courts, Commissions and Tribunals is a top priority to deliver a functional electronic filing system and digitisation of registries, including eTrial infrastructure, along with investment in courthouse security and infrastructure to ensure the safety of court users, court staff and the judiciary as well as new replacement courts for Beenleigh and Townsville.
Legal assistance funding calls continue not only for QCAT but to increase the hourly Legal Aid Queensland preferred supplier rates, in accordance with recommendation 18 of the Mundy Review.
In the area of criminal justice, QLS is calling for funding for targeted strategies to reduce the high numbers of people on remand including increased funding for diversionary programs; increased and sustained funding for existing projects, processes and programs to address the overrepresentation of First Nations people in the criminal justice system; and for the expansion and appropriate resourcing for the Committals Project to allow the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to conduct the prosecution of all matters listed for committal across the state..
QLS also supports the establishment and funding to resource a Judicial Commission for Queensland.
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