QJA Quarterly Spring Edition

QJA Quarterly Official Publication of the Queensland Justices Association

In Good Hands:

Nurturing our association for a strong future

Excellence in JP Services: Educate, Inform, Connect, Advocate, Govern www.qja.com.au | Spring 2021

OUR PEOPLE INSIDE

4

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

6

QJA NEWS

8

IN GOOD HANDS:

15

ROLL OF HONOUR

16

CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS:

19

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

19

OUR BRANCHES & GROUPS

20

OUT AND ABOUT:

22

BRANCH WORKSHOPS

24

Q & A: CERTIFIED COPIES

26

TECHNICAL NEWS

PATRON

The Honourable Chief Justice Catherine E Holmes AC

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President John Carpendale JP(Qual) Vice President

Bruce Birtwell JP(Qual)

DIRECTORS

Directors

Julie Arthur OAM JP(Qual) Brooke Batley JP(Qual) Joan Kennedy JP(Qual) Peter Selleck JP(Qual)

Business Manager and Registrar

Wendy La Macchia JP(Qual)

QJA STATE OFFICE

Training Coordinator

Pamela Currie JP(Qual) Membership Officer

Gabor Beres JP(Qual) Merchandise Officer

Aaron Dunster JP(Qual)

Contact details:

https://qja.com.au/about-us-2/

QJA Quarterly

Spring 2021| 2

IN THIS ISSUE For this edition, we have featured several articles that focus on Spring-time themes of evolution, new growth and the guidance of caring hands.

In just a few weeks’ time (6th November), a new QJA Board will assume office. Nominations for the 2021 board election delivered an uncontested outcome, meaning the composition of the incoming board has been decided without an election poll. The article headed IN GOOD HANDS introduces the new team who will guide and govern the organization for the next two year term.

The outgoing Presidents Page reflects on the continuing evolution and development of the QJA business over the last five years.

Two sections of this issue are devoted to QJA Branch-related matters. Branch Workshops chronicles the professional development workshops recently conducted by a couple of SEQ Branches, while Out and About features recent meetings held with several CQ and NQ Branches.

The Q & A pages in this edition focus on the more complex aspects of the usually routine task of certifying copies of original documents. To guide our members in effectively dealing with difficult clients, we also include an article on the management of Challenging Behaviours.

As usual, there are articles covering QJA News and Technical News.

News. For something different in this Spring edition, we’ve included a Soduku for you to ponder upon.Important upon.Important inserts to this issue are the 2020-21 ANNUAL REPORT and a revised AGM NOTICE (and PROXY FORM).

FORM). tCoursemingUp:A-P Brisbane 9th October (Weekend) Brisbane 25th October (Weekday) Blended Online 4th October Self-Paced Available Now F

L L

J

J

J

LJ

L

K

L

J

COMPANY INFORMATION: ACN 009 666 559 – ISSN 1839-2784

SOCIAL MEDIA:

8A/108 Wilkie Street, Yeerongpilly, Qld 4105 PO Box 65 Moorooka, Qld 4105 Phone (07) 3392 2455 E: admin@qja.com.au www.qja.com.au

The QJA Journal is compiled by an editorial committee on behalf of the Acting QJA. Editor: John Carpendale. The views expressed in articles and advertisements published in the QJA Journal are not necessarily the views of the Queensland Justices Association or the Board of Directors.© Queensland Justices Association claims copyright to all material published in this Journal. No material may be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the QJA. All enquiries should be addressed to The Editor at editor@ qja.com.au Printed by Zink Print. PO Box 236, Kallangur QLD 4503. Phone 0437 777 079 or visit us at www.zinkprint.net.au.

QJA Quarterly

Spring 2021 | 3

PRESIDENT’S PAGE In my final magazine article as your QJA President, I take this opportunity to reflect on the evolution of the organisation over the last five years. So, how has QJA grown and developed in its journey since the beginning of 2017?

EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT IN LAST FIVE YEARS Financial reserves In this respect, QJA has sustained substantial growth. The value of financial reserves, as per the published financial statements has grown by 44%, from $359,249 in 2017 to $518,358 in 2021. Admittedly, the 2021 number includes, for the first time, the financial reserves held by the 24 QJA branches. In any case, the QJA’s financial reserves have developed to now be in excess of $0.5M - a very sound position.

Business development initiatives In order to remain relevant and to meet the needs and expectations of our continually changing membership, QJA has committed to continually improve and expand the programs and services provided to members and branches. So, what initiatives have been introduced in the last 5 years?

2017 For the first time in 2017, QJA introduced the Branch Forum program under which leadership representatives from regional clusters of QJA Branches were gathered together with representatives from the QJA Board to discuss matters of mutual interest. Strong positive feedback from attendees at that inaugural program convinced the Board that regular structured sessions involving board and branch representatives should be continued and enhanced into the future.

The QJA Awards program was also introduced in 2017 to recognise and reward exceptional performance. The inaugural winners of the awards were: Branch of the Year – Hornibrook Branch; Member of the Year – David Harris (Brisbane North); and Community Engagement award – Logan Branch.

QJA Quarterly

2018 The initiatives of 2018 were focused primarily on recognising and celebrating QJA’s centennial year.

A special gold-coloured centennial badge was struck and regional functions were held across the State to present these badges to members who attended.

As well, the Board commissioned the writing of a QJA-history publication to document and recognise the evolution and development of the organisation over the preceding one hundred years. QJA certainly endured some ups and downs over that timeframe and the history publication, titled Across the Generations, faithfully tracks that chequered path.

The major celebratory event was the Centennial Year Conference and Gala Dinner, involving three high profile keynote speakers and 25 other presenters, and was held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. This event attracted in excess of 200 delegates, whose feedback (more than 90% rating the overall experience as excellent or very good) confirmed the high calibre of the conference content and the associated social events.

2019 The most significant initiative for 2019 was the introduction of the QJA eLogbook. With functionality and resources to guide and support users in undertaking and recording all JP duties, the eLogbook has become an indispensable tool for the modern-day JP/CDec. This innovative product is available exclusively to QJA members as an included benefit of membership – no extra charge,

Spring 2021| 4

Also in 2019, the suite of QJA Awards was expanded to include an Emerging Leader category. The inaugural winner of this award was Carol Dravandi from the Gold Coast.

this program is the latest addition to the QJA suite of professional development resources, designed to enable members to be highly competent and professional JP practitioners.

2020 As we all remember, the world-wide event of 2020 was the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic which presented challenges for all aspects of the business. During lockdown and periods of restriction on numbers allowed to attend physical gatherings, innovative working arrangements (including some working from home) were introduced in order to keep QJA staff employed and operational within the boundaries prescribed by prevailing COVID protocols.

The traditional QJA magazine underwent a significant makeover in 2021, giving it a refreshed appearance, enhanced content and a new name – the QJA Quarterly. Feedback from members indicates their satisfaction with these changes.

Changes were also made to the QJA pre-appointment classroom training courses. QJA introduced a new, blended course delivery medium (part selfpaced online learning; part trainer-guided sessions via videoconference) to meet the needs of students who were unable to attend physical classrooms.

Videoconferencing technology was also embraced to allow the delivery of the 2020 Branch Forum program when the holding of physical gatherings was disallowed or uncertain. Similarly, many QJA branches introduced videoconferencing processes to remain engaged with the local QJA membership.

Even in the post-COVID era, it is expected many parts of the QJA business will make greater use of videoconferencing to connect with other members of the QJA family.

The 2020 QJA State Conference (a physical gathering event) was deferred from November 2020 to May 2021 when it was anticipated restrictions would be would be more relaxed. Fortunately, this proved to be correct.

2021 The leading business initiative of 2021 was the introduction, in May, of the QJA Member Accreditation Program. Established to encourage, recognise and acknowledge members who demonstrate technical knowledge and problem-solving skills beyond the basic requirements for appointment,

A membership management software upgrade has also been introduced this year. The new system provides improved functionality and access for all categories of users: staff, members and branch committee members. Associated with this new software was a move to a new and improved QJA website. Later in 2021, the existing learning management software will also be upgraded to a more sophisticated and enhanced product.

Early in 2021, the Board approved the adoption of a more balanced approach to the investment of financial reserves, with the goal of improving earnings on those reserves.

Finally, for the first time, the published QJA financial statements for 2020-21 (included in the Annual Report document distributed with this magazine) include the finances of all the QJA Branches. This is a considerable achievement which provides members with full transparency about the overall state of the business. The cooperation and support of all branches in achieving this outcome is sincerely appreciated.

Summary So, as we look back at the range of initiatives introduced over the last five years, it is satisfying to appreciate how much the organisation has continued to evolve and develop in order to improve the quality and scope of support programs and services provided to our members and our branches.

John Carpendale, President JP(Qual)

QJA Quarterly

Spring 2021 | 5

QJA NEWS

submitted applications to join the program and a significant proportion of those have progressed into the assessment phase.

Several of the inaugural graduates are in the process of being inducted to join accreditation assessment panel and they will soon be involved in marking the assessment attempts of applicants.

AGM: VENUE CHANGE

The previous edition of the QJA Quarterly included information about this year’s annual general meeting which will take place at 12 noon on Saturday 6 November. That information indicated the venue for the physical meeting was to be the QJA Office at Wilkie Street, Yeerongpilly.

Please note the date and time are unchanged but the venue will now be the Pullman King George Square Brisbane. A revised Notice of Meeting and Proxy Form is an insert to this magazine.

Like last year, physical attendance numbers at the AGM will be governed by prevailing COVID protocols. For those unable to attend in person, videoconferencing arrangements will be in place.

If you would like to attend the AGM (either in person or via videoconference) please register your intent as indicated on the Notice of Meeting, included with this magazine.

MEMBER ACCREDITATION PROGRAM

Launched on 15 May this year, the QJA Member Accreditation Program is now well and truly established. At the time of the launch, there were eleven (11) QJA members who were awarded QJA Accredited status – five who had successfully negotiated the accreditation assessment modules during the pre-launch test phase, and six who were intimately involved in the development and design of the overall program and granted honorary accreditation status.

Since that time, many more QJA members have

QJA Quarterly

In the meantime, there have been some unfortunate delays in marking the assessment attempts of applicants. We apologise for the delays and thank the applicants for their patience. The backlog will soon be cleared and we will welcome many more QJA members to the QJA Accredited ranks.

All QJA members are urged to consider whether they wish to test themselves in the QJA Accreditation Program. To read the program outline and to nominate, follow this: accreditation link tion:rmafe M Find out more about the QJA Accreditation Program here:

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

Thank you to all those QJA members who responded to our recent call for volunteers by expressing an interest in applying their relevant expertise to assist QJA with a range of QJA operational programs and development projects. We now have a record of the names of interested parties and a brief synopsis of their relevant experience and expertise.

Spring 2021| 6

Over the coming weeks and months, the QJA Board (both current and incoming) and staff will give consideration to the ways in which these expressions of interest can be harnessed for the overall benefit of QJA. This is an exciting new development which will provide an opportunity for a much larger pool of QJA members to make significant contributions to the ongoing development and improvement of the organisation.

NEW SOFTWARE AND WEBSITE

The new and improved Association Management Software (AMS), mention in the previous edition of QJA Quarterly, has now been implemented, including the release of a related new QJA website.

As a result of the transition from the previous to the new system, members wishing to log into the Member Portal of the QJA website will need to use their email address (in lieu of the previous membership number protocol) and set a new password. We thank members for their patience and assistance in this transition.

Later in the year, our existing Learning Management Software (Moodle) will be replaced by a more functional and user-friendly product called TopClass. More information about this change will be provided closer to the changeover date.

GYMPIE BRANCH STALWART: DAPHNE HORNEEND OF AN ERA We wanted to recognize Daphne for her long commitment to providing JP services to the Gympie community. Also to recognize her long term commitment to the Gympie Branch of QJA. For many years she has filled the roles of president and secretary and generally kept the branch functioning. She has attended many QJA conferences to maintain her knowledge of the ever changing role and responsibilities of a JP. Changing from “old” simple JP to JP Qualified in 1996 while others of her ilk would have chosen to stay with the old, Daphne quickly updated her

QJA Quarterly

skills and responsibilities as the new regulations came into effect. She has always been the go to person for all things JP in Gympie

In June 2006 Daphne and a few others started a JP signing site at Gympie’s only shopping Centre at the time. A few months later this progressed to the Gympie Court House and increased to 6 hours each week day. Daphne continued to serve very regularly on the roster, and filling in for everyone else until 2020 when, as we know COVID restrictions took hold and her medical advise was to stay away from strangers !!

This withdrawal weighed heavily on Daphne, leaving a large gap in her weekly routine.She had volunteered her time to serve the community at several signing sites for over 15 years and many years before that from her home.She was committed to JP police work, issuing many search warrants, and attended searches as an observer.

This must have been very stressful at times.

Of course this is as well as all the other community volunteer work she did including Meals on Wheels, possible longer than she has done JP stuff. Last year Daphne celebrated her 91st birthday. This year she has suffered some significant health issues which has led, with regret, to her having to give up the role of secretary of the Gympie QJA Branch. Hopefully she will remain an active member for a long time yet.

A celebration of Daphne’s service was held recently with colleagues remembering some of the amusing stories around her long J P journey.

On behalf of the QJA Branch and the Gympie community thank you, thank you, thank you for all you service, wisdom and experience.

Betty Smith Branch Secretary

Spring 2021 | 7

IN GOOD HANDS: MEET THE NEW QJA BOARD

The tenure of the current QJA Board expires on 6 November. Nominations were called for Board positions with an original closing date of 30 July. When nominations at that time were short of the optimum number, the returning officer extended the closing date to 9th August.

In the final analysis, the number of valid nominations for each Board position did not exceed the number of available positions and the returning officer declared all such nominees successfully elected without the need for a poll.

The incoming Board comprises a healthy blend of experience (four directors with previous QJA board service) and the injection of fresh and unconstrained thinking (six new directors). The gender distribution is 50:50 and there is a diverse geographic distribution with representation from North Queensland, the Fraser Coast, the Sunshine Coast, the Moreton Bay region, Brisbane, Logan and South West Queensland.

Led by an enthusiastic new President and Vice President, the incoming team is well placed to guide the ongoing evolution of the QJA business.

It is particularly pleasing to see the board-elect includes the 2020 QJA Member of the Year and the 2020 QJA Emerging Leader award winners. As well, several have been the recipients of awards for their distinguished achievement in other fields.

The new Board assumes office on 6 November. In the meantime, we’d like to introduce the members – so you can see why the leadership of QJA remains in very sound hands.

QJA Quarterly

Spring 2021| 8

PRESIDENT: ANDREA REYNOLDS JP(QUAL)

Planning Committee.

Andrea Reynolds has been a Justice of the Peace (Qualified) since 2011 and joined the QJA the same year. She was elected to the QJA Board of Directors in 2019. The QJA business benefitted from Andrea’s leadership of the QJA Image and Publication Refresh Project, which culminated in the introduction of the much improved, new-look QJA Quarterly. She was very active in the development and implementation of the Member Accreditation Program and State Conference

Andrea’s work experience spans nearly ten years in the oil and gas industry as well as a number of years at the Townsville Magistrates Court. She spent time at a busy law firm and currently looks after quality control and warranty claims within a large Australian air conditioning company.

An active Member and Alumni of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Andrea recently received the AICD Award after completing the Foundations of Directors course. She is a strong believer in ongoing learning and continually undertakes professional development courses in her own time.

In the coming two-year term, Andrea aims to attract a younger cohort to the QJA by streamlining processes and resources, making membership increasingly rewarding to our members both working and retired.

An avid runner, Andrea calls Townsville ‘home’ with her husband Chris and their staffy, Guinness.

VICE PRESIDENT: PETER SELLECK Peter Selleck is a vastly experienced senior manager with over 40 years business experience in a wide variety of settings. He is retired and has been a JP (Qual) and Treasurer of the Maroochydore Branch since 2018.

He possesses specialised knowledge of marketing, planning, quality systems, business processes, the application of technology, plus high-level general management and administration skills. In business, he reached the ‘top 50’ at Caltex at the age of 38 with roles that included Service Station Manager with 40 staff, Sales Manager for half of Victorian Retail, Retail Property Manager for NSW, Manager Development – Marketing Technology and Systems for Australia. He was the leading trainer and expert in the MPSI retail network planning model and trained all departments in the use of the SAP budget module.

He was appointed Executive General Manager of MPSI Systems in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, he was responsible for retail outlet surveys, network planning, database construction and delivery and managed a budget in excess of $US5 million and a staff of over 80. He initially held responsibility for all Pacific Rim operations including negotiations with senior oil company executives in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia. He was considered the best presenter in the company.

Outside of business, he has been President, General Secretary and Treasurer of the Melbourne University Football Club (founded in 1859) and achieved Life Membership at the youngest age. He will bring unique skills to the QJA in the area of operations of a branch structure, business processes and the benefits of assessing personality types. He is an INTJ, for whom it has been said is a cunning strategist who spends most of the time planning how to avoid idiots.

QJA Quarterly

Spring 2021 | 9

IN GOOD HANDS: MEET THE NEW QJA BOARD BOARD MEMBER: JULIE ARTHUR, OAM, JP(QUAL)

My name is Julie Arthur, I was born and continue to live in Maryborough.

In 1979 I applied to be appointed as a Justice of the Peace, then in 1995 following a series of training workshops and subsequent exam, I was appointed as a Justice of the Peace (Qualified) and I have continued to practice in this role.

A former public servant with a long and distinguished career with 21 years experience in local government as an Alderman, Councillor, Deputy Mayor and Acting Mayor with the Maryborough City Council, then following amalgamation serving as Councillor, Deputy Mayor and Acting Mayor of the Fraser Coast Regional Council, together with 12 years experience as a Non-Executive Director serving on Local, State and National Boards, including Health, Water Supply, Local Government and an ASX listed company.

I have continued the philosophy of lifelong learning and hold a Diploma in Local Government Administration; A Diploma in Front Line Management and a Certificate 4 in Workplace Training Assessment.

I am a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, undertaking this course to give me the skills to ensure I am kept informed of changes to ensure relevancy in my role as a Board Director.

Australia Day 2020, I was bestowed a Medal of the Order of Australia for my service to local government and the Fraser Coast Community.

I was appointed to the Queensland Justices Association Board to fill a casual vacancy in March 2020 and was allocated the Chair of the inaugural Governance and Advocacy Committee, a position I was happy to accept as I saw this as an opportunity to put my professional expertise to work and actively

QJA Quarterly

contribute as a Board Director of the Queensland Justices Association.

I am excited to continue to serve as a Board Director of the Queensland Justices Association and look forward to actively contributing to the future of the Association.

BOARD MEMBER: BROOKE BATLEY JP(QUAL) Brooke joined the training team of QJA approximately seven or eight years ago and has remained in that role continually since those early days. He joined the training team of QJA approximately seven or eight years ago and has remained in that role continually since those early days.

He was elected to the QJA board in 2019 and collaborated with the “training” committee chair, Chris Lancaster in refining the pre-appointment training resources and material, some of which had been altered due to changes to legislation affecting the role of JPs & CDecs in their witnessing duties.

Contact (face to face) courses were interrupted during early to mid-2020 due to COVID restrictions and this led to an increase in the number of on-line students and also saw the implementation of a new initiative to “fill the void” left by the cessation of face to face courses.

This new scheme was labelled as a “blended” course which incorporated “on-line” learning coupled with three Zoom workshops during the period of study. Brooke (and other trainers) have embraced this new program as it is bringing pre-appointment training to a wider cohort of students who are either “time poor” or live in remote or regional areas.

Spring 2021| 10

Brooke has been part of QJA’s Accreditation Team which over the past two years has seen the design of a new enterprise to recognize practitioners who have demonstrated their commitment to ensuring their skills are current and their commitment to their own professional development as practicing JPs and CDecs will ensure a level and quality of service, second to none.

The member accreditation program was launched at the QJA 2021 Conference and has developed an impressive level of interest in the platform.

Brooke is now the chair of the education committee which has oversight and responsibility for, (as noted) accreditation as well as pre appointment training and provision of professional development programs which will be incorporated into the Learning Management System.

BOARD MEMBER: CLAIRE BROWN JP(QUAL) Claire Brown has recently retired from a career spanning over 25 years in the tourism industry, having worked in three states and two territories for tourism organisations and operators.

Previous experience includes as Executive Director of the Tourism Industry Council (ACT & Region), and as a Company Director of Acme Business and Project Services. Claire has management and finance qualifications, is a registered BAS Agent and a Justice of the Peace (Qualified).

Claire joined QJA in 2014 and has held the position of Secretary/Treasurer of the Caloundra branch since 2019. A firm advocate for ongoing professional development, Claire has been active in organising training and networking opportunities for branch members.

The Caloundra branch was nominated for Branch of the Year in 2020 and Claire was recently awarded the Emerging Leader award at the QJA Conference held on the Gold Coast in May 2021.

QJA Quarterly

Claire is a volunteer at the JPs in the Community Caloundra Library signing centre.

Claire lives on the Sunshine Coast where she enjoys the coastal lifestyle, is a judge for the Queensland Tourism Awards and also volunteers with the Sunshine Coast Turtlecare Group, monitoring and maintaining nesting sea turtle populations on the nearby beaches.

BOARD MEMBER: FIORI CRUZ JP(QUAL) Fiori was appointed Justice of the Peace in 2001 and joined QJA in 2003. She became the President of the QJA Warwick Branch in 2012.

A retired Accountant and Events Organizer, Fiori has held diverse leadership positions for over 25 years and has contributed to the setting up of plans and strategic direction of various associations where she fulfilled her roles with high integrity and accountability particularly focusing on legal, financial, and representational responsibilities.

Fiori staunchly maintains cultural sensitivity in all her dealings and operates from a strong social justice, equity and equality framework.

Her unwavering commitment has not been left unnoticed as reflected by awards and recognitions she has received such as the Queensland Multicultural Service Award and International Women’s Day Celebrating 100 years of Women’s Achievement from the Queensland government; and Filipino-Australian Achiever Award from the Filipino Community Council of Australia, Inc. As a marriage celebrant, Fiori specializes in bi-cultural marriages and performs bi-lingual ceremonies on occasions. She is also fond of showcasing her cultural dance and choreography skill, performing with her Filipino dance ensemble when invited to local and state events.

Fiori is looking forward to applying her knowledge and experiences in her new role as a QJA Board Member.

Spring 2021 | 11

IN GOOD HANDS: MEET THE NEW QJA BOARD BOARD MEMBER: EDDIE FRASER JP(QUAL) Eddie Fraser was admitted as a Lawyer of the Supreme Court of Queensland on 9 April 2018 and holds a Juris Doctor form the University of Southern Queensland in 2017 and a Graduate diploma of Legal Practice from the College of law and has a diverse range of other Legal, Business and other qualifications.

Eddie is employed as a Civilian Prosecutor at the Queensland Police Service based in Brisbane.

Prior to his permanent appointment in Brisbane Eddie was based in Toowoomba Prosecutions and Mount Isa Prosecutions, where he was fortunate to experience the Gulf of Carpentaria Circuit.

Prior to working with the Queensland Police Service, Eddie was employed at a private criminal law firm, a contractor of The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) amongst other interesting and varied work such as Ministerial Services in the Queensland government and as a paralegal for the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy dealing primarily with Land Valuation disputes. In particular Eddie worked on Suncorp Metway Insurance Pty Ltd v Valuer-General [2017] and GPT RE Limited v Valuer-General [2015].

Eddie plays an active role within his community and aspires to enhance his legal education through practice in various legal disciplines and has interest in Criminal Law, Industrial Relations & Employment Law. His dedication, willingness to learn and enthusiasm are attributes that resonate within the profession with a strong passion for social justice.

Eddie’s previous volunteering includes The Multicultural Association of Caboolture and Surrounds, the Moreton Bay Regional Community Legal Service as well as donations to KYC Youth to support the values he has with respect to youth and education.

Eddie is a confirmed PhD candidate with the Uni-

QJA Quarterly

versity of Southern Queensland and is working on this project part-time as he balances, his fulltime role, young family and other commitments.

Eddie was awarded USQ Young Outstanding Alumnus of 2020 and in 2021 was a finalist of Lawyers under 30 in the community legal centre category for his volunteer work with the Moreton Bay Regional Community Legal Centre.

Eddie has a young family and when not working enjoys quality family time with his 2 young daughters and son and wife. Eddie holds strong family values and attributes much of his daily success to his wife and children.

BOARD MEMBER: SARA GAULT JP(QUAL) Sara Gault has been a JP (Qual) for 27 years and a member of QJA for 11, currently serving as Secretary of Caboolture & Districts Branch. When the Site Coordinator for the Burpengary Library had to step down due to moving away from the area, Sara didn’t hesitate to step up and take over the role, increasing the service from 2 days to 6 days a week. She has recently turned the reigns over to a fellow JP after 6 years as Site Coordinator of the Burpengary Library Having worked for NAB for 21 years in various roles Sara has been a self-employed Mortgage Broker for 19 years, her company Smile Home Loans Pty Ltd. She has a Bachelor of Business majoring in Banking and Finance, a Diploma of Finance & Mortgage Broking Management and a Cert IV Financial Services She is passionate about helping others and in advancing the status of women and girls. As a member of Zonta for 18 years she held numerous executive positions including Director, Treasurer, President and Chair of Fundraising. .

Spring 2021| 12

Sara has been a member of Business & Professional Women (BPW) North Lakes for 5 years and served on the committee as Secretary, Vice President Policy and is the current President. She has a passion for fundraising and giving back to her community and has been successful in obtaining numerous grants from various sources to fund equipment, projects and workshops that benefit women.

Communications between people from all walks of life has been a mainstay of Scott’s professional development; firstly, as a public servant then as an educator and business owner. His communication agility has allowed him to build bridges for people from many walks of life including Indigenous Australians, refugee applicants and communities across the South Pacific.

At the recent QJA National Conference she was voted QJA member of the Year for 2020 and regards this as a career highlight. She says one of her passions is fishing but hasn’t had the time to cast a line for a while. Can’t understand why!

The business qualifications Scott holds have allowed him to not only build his skills base but also enable him to advise others on successfully traversing the sometimes-difficult path of business development. His management dexterity is complemented by his diplomatic approach to all business activity.

BOARD MEMBER:

His qualifications include a Graduate Certificate in Australian Migration Law & Practice, Master of Arts, Bachelor of Arts along with a number of vocational qualifications in business, management, leadership and training. Scott’s community service history will inform his role as Director and help develop the QJA and its members to be the best they can be.

SCOTT PATTERSON JP(QUAL)

Scott has served as a Justice of the Peace since 1984.

He successfully completed his upgrade qualification in 2015. Scott has provided a JP service throughout his careers, firstly whilst working for members of Parliament and Government Ministers and secondly during his second career as a business owner, vocational trainer and university tutor. Scott’s business positions have included Migration Agent and Education Agent.

Most recently he has been providing a reliable JP service to the Queensland Police which included during our COVID lockdowns. With heightened WHS provisions, Scott provided JP assistance throughout this most difficult time. Coupled with regular community assistance as required, Scott’s experience has been appreciated by individuals, businesses and the Police for many years.

tion:rmafe M Can’t attend the AGM but want to vote by proxy?

Download a proxy form here

Scott is a post graduate qualified trainer, tutor and qualified education agent counsellor. He has taught in vocational colleges, TAFE, universities and within Queensland’s correctional education environment. His experience in training will provide the QJA with a new set of eyes to assist to develop the organisation’s training arm to new heights.

QJA Quarterly

Spring 2021 | 13

IN GOOD HANDS: MEET THE NEW BOARD (CONT’D) BOARD MEMBER: RAJESH SHARMA JP(QUAL) Rajesh Sharma is originally from Fiji Islands and migrated to Australia in March 2011. He has a background in operations, finance, accounting, retail and business administration and has held several senior executive roles in Fiji as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer and in addition being Director/Company Secretary of private companies. He is currently a Director of Operations within the Primary Healthcare sector.

tion:rmafe M Meet the new board in person at the 201 QJA AGM 12pm Saturday 6th November Pullman King George Square Register below

He has worked in retail and finance sectors overseas and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from University of Southern Queensland (Australia), Masters in Business Administration from Bath University (United Kingdom) and Masters in Business Administration from University of the South Pacific.

He is also a Certified Practicing Accountant with CPA Australia, a Chartered Accountant with Fiji Institute of Accountants, a Fellow of FINSIA Australia, a Fellow of Institute of Managers and Leaders Australia and a Justice of Peace (Qual) for Queensland.

He has previously served on the Board of the Fiji Institute of Accountants including a term as President. He has also served as Treasurer for the Fiji Red Cross and a member of the Finance Committee for Fiji Football Association.

QJA Quarterly

Spring 2021| 14

ROLL OF HONOUR

The Board wishes to acknowledge the long service given by the following members:

60 Years John Lawson

50 Years Peter Dowling Graham Muspratt

40 Years Madonna Bianchi Louise Tornabene Leslie Pontin Wayne Wright Rangi Ross Peter Stewart Christopher Gibbs Linda Schneider 25 Years Marion Woods

QJA Quarterly

Spring 2021 | 15

CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS: DEALING WITH THE UNCO-OPERATIVE CLIENT

We have been caught up in a worldwide pandemic since February 2020. Many people are finding their tolerance for requirements and rules which prevent them going about business in the usual way is being severely stretched. Social distancing, using QR check-in codes and mask wearing are just some of the directives we have become accustomed to over the past 18 months.

While a vast majority of the community accept health and police directives, some find it harder to comply and challenge the wisdom of the authorities. Consequently, it is not surprising that while providing JP services, you may meet some clients who refuse to comply with lawful directions and become unco-operative, angry or frustrated.

Knowing how to handle these situations and other difficult behaviours will help you service the community with minimum disruption. Here are some handy tips to assist you whenever you find yourself dealing with angry, frustrated or uncooperative clients and help you to diffuse the situation.

QJA Quarterly

Tip 1: Choose your attitude Providing JP services is a very important job and should be conducted in a professional manner, so it is important that you are in the right mindset to offer your services in any setting.

Presenting yourself in a confident, professional and polite manner will help set the scene for a good experience for you and your clients. These non-verbal cues will reflect the attitude that you are there to be helpful.

Tip 2: Active listening If a client refuses to comply with lawful directives, such as wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer or checking in with the QR code, give them an opportunity to explain themselves. Actively listen to what they are saying. This means that you should let them speak, don’t interrupt, and show them that you take their concerns seriously.

Spring 2021| 16

Leaning in and making eye contact will show that you are interested in what they are saying without declaring whether you agree with the client or not.

Paraphrase what they have said to demonstrate that you have listened to their point of view and that you are focusing on this individual client.

Tip 3: Keep calm and lower your voice Keeping calm is essential when dealing with a challenging client. It is imperative that you avoid letting your emotions take over as this will only serve to escalate the situation.

If you feel that the client is provoking you, take a few deep breaths and adopt a slow and steady rhythm. It is important to remember not to take the client’s behaviour personally. They are frustrated with a situation not with you, although you may appear to represent the authorities that are the cause of the client’s discontent.

QJA Quarterly

Tip 4: Build rapport with empathy Build rapport through empathy and acknowledge their feelings. When someone is firing aggressive or emotive language at you, it’s easy to roll your eyes and dismiss them. But disregarding a client’s feelings may inflame the situation. It’s crucial that you acknowledge their emotions - whether or not they’re justified - so your client feels like they’ve been truly heard. Try using statements such as: “I understand this situation is frustrating for you.”

“I understand this has caused you stress and concern.”

Often, just acknowledging their feelings will be enough to calm them down and enable you to move forward.

Spring 2021 | 17

CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS: DEALING WITH THE UNCO-OPERATIVE Tip 5: Establish control with the facts It is good practice to refer to the facts. Explain to the client that you have asked them to don a mask, use hand sanitizer, and/or maintain social distancing, because you, the JP or Cdec, are also obliged to comply with lawful health and police directives. You can point to physical notices and or refer to relevant websites to back up your position. It is good practice to refer to the facts.

Reminding the client that you have to comply with the rules as well, will highlight the fact that you are not the person responsible for making the rules but are in a similar position to the client.

Establishing that you have things in common can help generate feelings of empathy and understanding.

Tip 6: Act quickly and know when to give in Once you have listened to the client, and asked any clarifying questions, establish what you can and can’t do about their situation. Remember, it is the client’s problem, not yours. It is best if you can help the client to resolve the issue themselves.

If, after appropriate discussion, you are unable to provide the service requested, then it is time to disengage. Make it clear that you are unable to proceed and advise the client about how to contact other JPs or Cdecs via the ‘find a JP portal’ on the QJA website.

QJA Quarterly

Remember that you provide your services on a voluntary basis and are not compelled to provide services where you feel unsafe or threatened.

Tip 7: Keeping safe Where possible, endeavour to provide your services in a private setting, as to some, being disruptive or unco-operative in a public place can act as an invitation for exhibitionism and attract on-lookers.

If you provide services in a public place, such as a shopping centre, interactions between you and your client may be on public view. It is important to be aware of your surroundings and ensure that you can attract assistance if and when needed, particularly if the client’s behaviour is escalating.

Keeping the phone number for centre security or local police handy will provide a level of comfort if you feel threatened.

It is worth remembering that passers-by and on-lookers can capture your words and actions on a mobile device. On one hand this can be a good thing, as it supports your actions in dealing with the client. On the other hand, reputations have been tarnished by interactions caught on video and splashed across social media.

Spring 2021| 18

Being mindful that you are always ‘on show’ as the public face of Queensland Justices of the Peace and Commissioners for Declarations will help you remain polite, courteous and professional.

Contibutor: QJA Director, Joan Kennedy JP(Qual)

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE...

OUR BRANCHES AND GROUPS: Branches

Groups

Brisbane North

Beaudesert

Brisbane South

Bowen

Bundaberg

Cairns South

Caboolture

Esk

Caloundra

Forest Lake

Gladstone

Howard

Gold Coast

Kilcoy

Greater Springfield

Mareeba

Gympie

Roma

Hervey Bay

Rosedale

Hornibrook

Tin Can Bay

Ipswich

To Contact a branch

Lockyer

or group scan the QR

Logan

code

Mackay Maroochydore Maryborough Noosa Pine Rivers Redland City Rockhampton South Burnett Toowoomba Townsville Western Suburbs Solution on page 27

QJA Quarterly

Spring 2021 | 19

OUT AND ABOUT: PRESIDENT GOES NORTH

During August, the current QJA President, John Carpendale, whose term of office expires at the 6 November 2021 Annual General Meeting, undertook a trip to meet with regionally-based branch committees and members.

For the week commencing Monday 2nd August, meetings were scheduled at Kingaroy, Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Bundaberg, Gladstone and Emerald; however, the South East Queensland COVID-19 lockdown prevented the President from leaving home for that entire week. Disappointingly, it was necessary to cancel those meetings.

•

QJA’s strategic direction and the important role performed by Branches;

•

Acquiring an understanding of the needs and expectations of regionally-based members

•

Answering questions on general QJA and JP matters

While present at various QJA branch meetings during this week, the President presented QJA Appreciation Awards to those Branch Committee members who had served for at least five years.

ROCKHAMPTON

As the lockdown was lifted at 4pm on Sunday 8 August, John departed Brisbane and flew to Rockhampton the next morning so that the commitments made for the week commencing 9th August could be honoured. This involved attending three Branch meetings and three informal gatherings at centres where QJA Branches used to exist.

A meeting was held at the Rockhampton Leagues Club Board Room (see photo below) at 5:30pm on Monday 9 August. While in Rockhampton, the President also met separately with QJA Life Member and former QJA Director, Raymond Young OAM and recently-elected QJA Rockhampton Branch Deputy Chairman (and Acting Secretary), Len Herron.

The topics discussed at the gatherings attended by the President on this regional trip included: • Understanding the different roles performed by QJA and the JP Branch, DJAG, and the way in which the two organisations work cooperatively;

At this meeting, some attendees expressed confusion and uncertainty about the difference between their QJA membership number and their official JP/CDec registration number as issued by the Queensland Government. This matter is discussed and explained on page 26.

•

Understanding and utilising the benefits and value of QJA membership;

QJA Quarterly

Spring 2021| 20

MACKAY

On Tuesday 10th August, the Mackay Branch meeting was conducted at The Centre meeting room, Wellington Street, starting at 6:30pm.

An issue of animated discussion at this meeting was some local uncertainty and confusion about the appropriate way to handle a Land Title Mortgage which contains no Real Property Description (Lot and Plan number etc.). It seems the source of the uncertainty was a communication the Branch had received from Titles Queensland concerning a related, but somewhat different, topic.

After discussing the essence of the matter, all parties agreed that a witnessing officer must decline to process a Land Title Mortgage form where the Lot and Plan description field is blank, as this information is needed to verify the client’s interest in the mortgaged property and entitlement to sign (as required by section 162 of the Land Title Act 1994).

BOWEN, CAIRNS & MAREEBA

Not so many years ago, QJA Branches operated in these centres, each of which continues to be the home of a healthy cluster of QJA members, many of whom have fond recollections of the opportunities for peer networking and local professional development sessions organised by those former branches.

As part of the abbreviated trip to Central and North Queensland, the President visited each of these towns, to thank those who were previously involved with Branch activities and to acquire an understanding of the needs and expectations of those QJA members who reside in places where there is no local QJA Branch to support them.

At Bowen, a mid-afternoon meeting was arranged at the Larrikin Hotel on Wednesday 11th August. Attendees included Ron Williams (involved with the former branch committee) and Brian Byrne from Bowen and Gayle Bailey who travelled from Proserpine.

For Cairns, a 5:30pm meeting was scheduled at the South Cairns Sports Club, Bentley Park. Although ten acceptances were initially received, the local COVID lockdown earlier in the week generated a degree of uncertainty and several apologies. In the Proudly displaying their Branch Service Appreciation end, only Ralph Powell (a member of the former Certificates in the company of the QJA President are Devon Flor, Lisa Chapman. Laura Jorgensen (Treasur- branch committee), Tim Bentley and Joel Hemery attended. Again these members provided valuable er). Maria Valena (Secretary) and Carmelo Pasquale (Chairman). Also present at the meeting were Bill insights into needs and expectations of QJA memGoodchild (seated) and John Palmer (taking the phobers who reside where there is no local QJA organto). ising committee.

TOWNSVILLE

At 6pm on Thursday 12th August at the Common Ground Church hall, Vincent, the President attended a meeting of the QJA Townsville Branch. Earlier that afternoon, the President had attended a separate meeting with local Branch Chairman, Karl McKenzie, and Branch committee member, Andrea Reynolds, to discuss initiatives under consideration to invigorate the operation of the branch in this region Attendees at the Townsville Branch meeting were particularly interested to discuss matters associated with using the QJA eLogbook and eligibility for admission to the QJA Member Accreditation Program.

QJA Quarterly

At Mareeba on Saturday 14th August, a morning tea meeting was convened at the Heritage Centre Coffee House. Attendees included Mike Dwyer (chairman of the former branch), Keith Courte, Jill Spackman, Lysle Emmit (from Tolga) and Terry Ann Cranwell (from Atherton). Their input added to the information gathered about what QJA might need to do to better support those of our members who live away from those major population centres that are able to sustain a QJA branch structure.

Spring 2021 | 21

BRANCH WORKSHOPS

Brisbane North Branch Workshop (19 June) After having to cancel the branch’s traditional June Professional Day in 2020 due to the pandemic, this year we were lucky enough to be able to squeeze it in between restrictions and lockdowns.

Our member, Robert van Beest and his wife Pieta were gracious enough to allow us the use of the beautiful facilities at the Stafford Lakes Tricare Retirement Complex. Our topics for the day were ‘Attending Police Interviews of a Juvenile’ and ‘Advance Care Planning’.

Detective Michelle Morgan spoke to the group about the relevant laws and procedures when dealing with minors and the role of the JP. Many of our members had not been involved in this service previously and were keen to understand what was required of them and how they could get involved.

After Detective Morgan spoke, JPs who had actually attended interviews spoke about what to expect from a practical point of view, including arriving at the police station, how to treat the juvenile, what to do during the interview and even where and how to arrange parking when attending a large city station.

Members who attend the conference this year might remember the session presented by Leanne Clemesha from Advance Care Planning (ACP), a section of the Qld Dept of Health. Leanne made herself available to speak to us about the ACP and the services they provide where people can lodge their enduring documents. The documents are digitised and uploaded into an online record that can be accessed by hospitals and health providers. Before documents can be scanned and uploaded the ACP staff must check for accuracy and completeness and that they have been witnessed correctly. Leanne was able to point out the most common errors made during the witnessing process and how important it is for our clients that we get it right.

QJA Quarterly

The final session of the day was an Open Forum.

This is a very popular part of our professional development days as it allows JPs and C/Decs to raise issues they have encountered during their duties or to simply ask a question about our work.

The Brisbane North committee decided last year not to close all our sites over the 2020 Christmas break. Members were canvassed for volunteers willing to work and we were able to open seven sites. We found that, as the Courts, Chermside and Toombul sites were all closed we saw many grateful clients, some who have travelled quite a distance to use our service. We will be opening again this holiday break again if possible.

At the branch AGM this July we elected a new Chairman, as Stewart Purdie announced he would not be seeking re-election this year. Stewart has been in the position for over 6 years and has been an experienced and steady pair of hands for the Brisbane North branch. In the QJA Awards this year, he was recognised for long service on branch committees, as was our newly elected Chair, Peter Callaghan, also receiving an award for many years of service on various committees for the branch.

Judith McGarry Branch Secretary

Hornibrook Branch Workshop (4th September) Well, this story started a few months ago, when our Branch Committee visualized holding a Workshop for QJA members, Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Declaration, we held a positive and enthusiastic view to the challenge and possibility of Covid 19 lockdowns and restrictions. Professional development workshops for Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Declaration improves our knowledge, procedures, enhances and promotes a culture of professional growth as individuals, supporting our witnessing process for our clients’ documents.

Spring 2021| 22

We were pleased with the turnout of 26 members attending our Workshop at Redcliffe, as a group we came together sharing new friendships, with a common awareness supporting our community as Justices of the Peace.

•

John Whiting - Welcome to Country

•

Mayor Peter Flannery - Moreton Bay Regional Council - Workshop Opening

•

John Carpendale (QJA President) - QJA Strategic Direction

•

Mark Bucknell - Magistrate Redcliffe Court House, - Search Warrants

•

Mr Chris Goh - Department of Motor Transport - Digital Licencing

•

Fiona Thompson - Director, Animal Protection Welfare Programme, Biosecurity Queensland, - Animal Care and Protection Warrants

•

Acting Sgt Vicky Christiansen and Acting Sgt Tammy White - QPS Crime Prevention Unit, Qld Police Services (QPS) - Personal Safety

•

Wendy La Macchia QJA Registrar & Business Manager- Closing Remarks

To finish up, we would like to confidently say we have enjoyed hosting our Workshop, thanking our Guest Speakers, and the encouraging participation of our attending audience, some who have travelled from the other side of Brisbane to attend….

We give a special thanks to them….

•

The Hon Yvette D’Ath MP – Member for Redcliffe, for her years of unwavering support to the Hornibrook Branch

•

The Hon Chris Whiting MP – Member for Bancroft, for his sincere and generous support to the Hornibrook Branch

•

Councillor Karl Winchester – Moreton Bay Regional Council, Division 6, Redcliffe and surrounding areas for believing in and supporting our 2021 Workshop

•

We appreciated the topics and the comradery shared today, there was numerous moments of laughter, with memories and friendships developed.

We warmly welcome everyone to our next workshop.

John Whiting doing a Welcome to Country at Hornibrook Workshop

The Hornibrook Committee would like to thank and acknowledge all our sponsors for today’s Workshop, their kind gestures and wonderful raffle prizes have ensured our Wokshop was a great success. Our special thanks go to •

the Management of Traditional Funerals, for their wonderful, generous and kind support they have given us over the years, displaying their care and community spirit to the Hornibrook Branch for the use of the Funeral Chapel at Redcliffe for our Workshops

QJA Quarterly

AJ otheQribunsmclw W

yerlQuat email to: editor@qja.com.au

Spring 2021 | 23

Q & A: CERTIFIED COPIES In this edition, we focus on matters related to certifying copies of documents. While this might be regarded as one of the more routine tasks we undertake, there are some circumstances where we need to pay special attention.

AHPRA requirements The Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Authority (AHPRA) has very specific requirements when certifying copies of identification documents. Failure to meet these exacting standards may cause the document to be rejected by AHPRA which will delay the client’s registration and require the client to repeat the certification process.

stamp if you do not wish to provide your personal phone number.

Q2. What should I do if the person does not look like the photo presented?

A2. If the person’s appearance has changed, for example, if they have facial hair, or different hair colour, you should try to identify facial features such as their eyes, or shape of the face. If you remain unsatisfied that there is a true likeness you should decline to certify the photo.

Q3. How do I certify a one-page document without a photograph?

A3. This is fairly straight forward. Once you have ensured that the document is exactly the same as the original you should write or stamp: I have sighted the original document and certify this to be a true copy of the original.

Insert your name, signature, date, qualification, seal of office and contact phone number.

Q4. How do I certify a document with multiple pages?

A4. Once you have ensured that the document is exactly the same as the original you should initial every page and write or stamp the following on the last page: Q1. How do I certify the copy of an ID document with a photo, to satisfy AHPRA’s requirements?

A1. The client who requires the copy to be certified must be present.

You should ensure that the copy presented for certification is exactly the same as the original.

Visually compare the photo in the original document against the person’s face.

If you are satisfied that the client is the person pictured in the document, then you can go ahead and either write or stamp the following: I certify that this is a true copy of the original and the photograph is a true likeness of the person presenting the document as sighted by me.

You must also include your name, signature, date of signing, qualification (JP(Qual) or Cdec) seal of office and number, and a contact phone number. You may wish to use the QJA contact details

QJA Quarterly

I have sighted the original document and certify this to be a true copy of the original.

Insert your name, signature, date, qualification, seal of office and contact phone number.

Q5. How do I certify a copy of an EPA or AHD? A5. Compare each page of the copy with the original enduring document to verify it is a true and complete copy of the original.

• Check that the number of pages in the copy document (including any additional pages) corresponds with the number of pages indicated on the witness certificate in the original document (note: this step applies only to enduring documents executed on or after 30 November 2020).

• Sign or initial each page of the copy (including any additional pages), other than the page on which the certification statement is inserted.

Spring 2021| 24

• Insert the following certification statement on Q10.What do you recommend to prevent accidently stampeither the first or last page:

This is to certify that this _____ page document, each page of which I initialed / signed, is a true and complete copy of the original _____ page document I sighted.

Q.6 How do I certify a copy of a pre-30/11/2020 enduring

document?

A6. It is appropriate to use the same multi-page method outlined in the answer to the previous question when certifying copies of pre-30/11/2021 EPAs or AHDs. Q7. Is it allowable to certify only copies of those pages containing variable information from pre-30/11/2020 enduring documents?

A7. When dealing with pre-30/11/2020 enduring documents, some receiving agencies ask clients to provide them with copies only of those pages containing variable information. If this is what the receiving agency has instructed the client to get, you should proceed as follows:

Explain to the client that you are prepared to certify the requested pages but the client should be aware that your finished work will not be equivalent to a certified copy of the complete document.

Q8. If I use the pre-30/11/2020 enduring document certification process (i.e. inserting a “corresponding page” certification statement on each page except the final page where a “complete copy” certification statement is inserted), will that now render the copy as invalid?

A8. No. While it is no longer necessary to certify each page of a copied enduring document, a copy certified in this manner is equally valid to one certified using the multi-page process described above.

Q9. Can a Principal sign their own EPA/AHD copies?

A9. Under the Powers of Attorney Act 1998, certified copies of an EPA or AHD can be signed by the Principal to these documents. At times when clients require numerous certified copies of the original EPA/AHD, it may be appropriate to stamp and certify a limited number of copies and then suggest that, where possible and appropriate, the Principal be invited to complete the remaining documents in the same manner.

QJA Quarterly

ing the original document as a copy?

A10.Unfortunately, there is little that you can do to correct this error once it has happened, except to apologise to the client. It is a good idea to ensure that your certifying processes include strategies to prevent this from occurring.

Many JPs have adopted the process of examining the copy against the original, and once satisfied that the copy is a true copy, to hand the original back to the client before picking up their stamp.

Alternatively, it may be helpful to adopt a process whereby you always place the originals on the same side of your desk (e.g., left hand side) and the copies on the other side.

Q11.What is the best way to certify an A4 sheet of paper containing a copy of just one or two small card-sized original documents? Should I “zed” out the blank spaces?

A11.There are several techniques to using your certification statement in a way that ensures that statement cannot be misused after the document leaves your hands. Whatever technique you use, your objective is to prevent the client (or another party) from subsequently inserting additional images on the page in a way that makes it appear your statement also applies to those added images.

Yes, you could zed out all the blank spaces on the sheet but, if there are multiple copies, this could be a very time-consuming and tedious process.

Another approach is to place your certification statement so that it touches or slightly overlaps the copied image/s in such a way that it could not be construed as also applying to any subsequently added image/s.

Some certifying officers draw arrows and circle/s to link each image and the related certification statement. This approach is helpful when you are presented with a page containing several images but insufficient space to place the certification statement closely adjacent to the related image/s.

Another technique is to use letters or numerals to identify the respective images and to add those alpha or numeric identifiers to your certification statement/s.

Depending on the circumstances with which you are presented, you may find one or more of the above techniques of assistance.

Spring 2021 | 25

TECHNICAL NEWS COMMUNITY SIGNING SITES For those participating in the JPs in the Community Program at signing sites across the State you will have received guidelines from the Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG) about dealing with clients who refuse to wear masks in contravention to directives issues by Queensland Health.

These guidelines can be found at JPs in the Community Update Aug 21 These guidelines also remind JPs and Cdecs that volunteers can decline to witness documents for people who do not have a lawful reason for not wearing a mask. tionrmaIf tabou xceptions omfr wearing acef smak are tedlis on ‘Quenslad cthHoryMF irectonsDMak

Clarification Your QJA membership number (issued to you by QJA and used to identify you within QJA’s internal systems) is to be used only when communicating with QJA. Your JP/CDec registration number (issued to you by the Queensland Government’s JP Branch) is the only number to be placed in your official seal of office or on any document you certify, witness or authorize in your JP/CDec role.

Not sure?

If you are uncertain about what number you have been using, please contact our office (phone (07) 3392 2455 or email admin@qja.com.au) and we’ll sort it out for you.

TITLES OFFICE CHANGES Elizabeth Dann, Registrar of Titles and Registrar of Water Allocations, has issued the following statements about changes to the Queensland Land Titles Registry Office.

The Queensland Government announced, the State’s titles registry is being transferred to the Queensland Future Fund. This transfer will be effective as of 19 June 2021.

WHICH NUMBER ARE YOU USING? Problem A recent communication received from the Registrar, Justice of the Peace Branch, Department of Justice and Attorney General, indicated that their office has detected some QJA members are incorrectly inserting their QJA membership number in their seal of office when performing JP/CDec duties.

QJA Quarterly

While there will be some minor changes associated with this transfer, it remains business as usual for all functions of the titles registry.

What will change: • A new name – Queensland’s titles registry will soon be known as ‘Titles Queensland’.

• Email addresses – an email redirect will be put

in place, but please update your address books.

After the transfer, our new general enquiries email will be ‘info@titlesqld.com.au’.

Spring 2021| 26

• Payment details – new payment details will apply to certain lodgements and eLodgements occurring after the transfer. Please see Titles Registry Alert 181 for details.

• Website – we’re launching a new website

(www.titlesqld.com.au), which will remain a key contact point for existing and new customers of Titles Queensland. Please update links in your browsers. The current website will have re-directs established to the new site in the days following the transfer.

bane (Albert Street) drop-off box, the post, as well as existing state-operated regional counters will still be available as lodgement and search options, meaning there will be no change to the way transactions • Our commitment to service – our focus remains on providing high quality titling services to industry and to the community.

What won’t change: • Our products and services – all existing functions will remain unchanged, our enquiries phone number and postal address will remain the same.

• Our team – all our existing teams will be re-

tained during the transfer, ensuring the depth of expertise is preserved.

• Our lodgement and enquiries process –

If you have any questions, please contact the enquiries team at titlesinfo@resources.qld.gov.au.

eLodgement and eConveyancing will remain as our primary lodgement options. The Bris-

?ebsitw ohentublgi Tr vingaH o Y ur username is now your email address and if you have not logged in before you will need to create a password by selecting the “forgotten password” link

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE...

Sodoku Solution

QJA Quarterly

Spring 2021 | 27

Excellence in JP Services web: www.qja.com.au ph: (07) 3392 2455 email: admin@qja.com.au QJA is a member organisation for JPs and CDecs in Queensland and a registered training organisation licenced to deliver the course to those who want to become a JP. As a JP you are appointed for life and we are with you for the term of your appointment as long as you want us to be.

Excellence in JP Services: QJA Quarterly Educate, Inform, Connect, Advocate, Govern Spring 2021| 28