As a sitting judicial officer with a busy regional court list, Magistrate Lisa O’Neill is prepared for anything. But she was taken by surprise when she won the Dame Quentin Bryce Domestic Violence Prevention Advocate Award.
A finalist in 2023, Magistrate O’Neill was presented with the award at today’s Legal Profession Breakfast, a Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ) fundraising event in Brisbane.
The award recognises outstanding activities in DFV prevention including the contribution, commitment and professionalism of an individual in the state’s legal profession.
Magistrate O’Neill said the award was “completely unexpected”.
“It’s like the Academy Awards – I hadn’t prepared anything. I’m completely sincere in that,” she told the City Hall audience of 640 guests.
“What I’ve learned in my career in the law, thinking about domestic violence and what can be done to improve the way that the legal profession in particular and the courts manage that, is to remember that this is a system, it’s a systemic problem.
“We’re all part of that system and we heard that today in Trent’s (keynote speaker Trent Dalton) story about how families navigate through those systems.
“And we think of all the work that all the people in the room do, and the perspectives that they bring to their view of the system.
“So in my career I’ve worked really hard to try and improve the system’s response but what I know from the work I’ve done – thinking particularly just yesterday when we managed a busy DV list in a regional town in Toowoomba – all families who navigate through that and the disjointed response that they experience, there’s so much more to be done.
“And so I invite all of you to think about how the families you deal with are experiencing your system and what you can do to connect with the other systems and improve that response.”
Appointed as a Magistrate in September 2024, the former Senior Judicial Register at the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia was instrumental in the introduction of the Lighthouse risk-screening process for family law disputes.
Dame Quentin Bryce said the event stood “as a source of courage and support and inspiration”.
“As we reflect on the extraordinary work that is done by our Women’s Legal Service, I congratulate the legal profession every year for the way it makes this a truly significant occasion for us to renew our energy and enthusiasm and our commitment, especially in these troubled times,” she said.
“And it is important for us always to remember that we must not take any legal reform or social reforms for granted; that we must be vigilant and continue to give all that we have to give to this important work in our country and around the world to eliminate violence against women, which I believe is the most serious human rights issue that we face.
“I am very proud to have this award in my name because it focuses on prevention and there are so many people in this beautiful City Hall doing that every day in powerful and collective ways.
“And of course that is the key to change for our shared humanity and also this is about advocacy, and all of you I know will walk away from this gathering today with a renewed energy to keep going because these are very troubled times.”
Acclaimed Brisbane author and keynote speaker Mr Dalton shared his personal experience with the audience, which included more than 50 law students and emerging lawyers.
His first novel Boy Swallows Universe addresses many issues including domestic violence.
“In this profession, I promise you there are happy endings because I know there are so many unhappy endings. Keep up the incredible work,” he said.
WLSQ CEO Nadia Bromley said: “Events like the annual Legal Profession Breakfast remind us of the strength of this community and what we can achieve when we come together.
“We heard a powerful personal story from Trent Dalton, underscoring the importance of our work and the broader legal profession. Thank you to everyone for making it such a success – we left the morning with renewed purpose and hope for the future.”
The 13th annual breakfast raised more than $170,000 to support WLSQ’s work, which includes free legal and support services for women impacted by domestic and family violence.
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