VOLUME VOLUME 12 16 •• NUMBER NUMBER 23 •• WINTER SPRING 2015 2019
QJA - ESTABLISHED IN 1918 Official Magazine of the Queensland Justices Association
INSIDE
MEMBER PROFILE
THIS ISSUE 2 COMPANY INFORMATION 3 4
PRESIDENT’S PAGE BOARD MATTERS
5 NEW MEMBER SERVICE 7 MEMBER PROFILE
TECHNICAL NEWS
8 WORKSHOP WARMUP SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE 9 2019 STATE CONFERENCE 11 ROLL OF HONOUR 13 Q & A 14 REGIONAL ROUNDUP 16 REGIONAL CONTACTS INSERTS:
Samia Boukerchi came to Australia seven years ago and was so impressed by the help and support she received from all of the JPs that she encountered on her way to becoming an Australian citizen that she decided to join the JP ranks herself. See her story on page 7. In this photo, Samia wears her Kabylian cultural apparel.
QJA eLOGBOOK We are moving right into the 21st century and embracing modern technology with the QJA eLogbook. On page 5 you can read how you can sign up to take advantage of this great new service.
A QJA BOARD ELECTION CANDIDATE PROFILES
QJA BOARD ELECTIONS 2019 is a Board Election year and you will find the profiles of all candidates in Insert A. Voting is now open, so don’t delay - cast your vote today.
B 2019 ANNUAL REPORT Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT & CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD The Honourable Chief Justice
Patron
Mr Ray Burrows JP (Qual) Catherine E Holmes
Board of Directors President
Vice President
Telephone (07) 3822 1366 Mobile 0409 499 016 Email ray.burrows@qja.com.au
VICE PRESIDENTS
John Carpendale JP (Qual)
M: 0419 683 325 Telephone (07) 3812 1865 Mr Bob Pilkington JP (Qual) E: john.carpendale@qja.com.au Immediate Past President Mobile 0438 121 865 Email bob.pilkington@qja.com
Graeme Moorhouse JP(Qual) M: 0439 964 899
Telephone (07) 3389 2481 Mrs Marian E: Vierveyzer JP (Qual) Graeme.moorhouse@qja.com.au Mobile 0415 418 320 Email marian.vierveyzer@qja.c Directors
Bruce Birtwell JP (Qual)
M: 0429 350 230 Mr Raymond Young OAM E: bruce.birtwell@qja.com.au
Joan Kennedy JP(Qual)
M: 0477 510 517 E: joan.kennedy@qja.com.au
Glenyce Hull JP(Qual)
M: 0439 746 219
Telephone (07) 4927 4155 JP (Qual) E: glenyce.hull@qja.com.au Mobile 0405 624 648 Email ray.young@qja.com.au Chris Lancaster OAM JP(Qual)
M: 0448 505 404 DIRECTORS E: chris.lancaster@qja.com.au
Mr David Re Mr John Gordon JP (Qual) Telephone: (0 Mobile: 0415 589 047 Carmelo Pasquale JP(Qual) Bronwyn McEntee JP(Qual) Mobile: 0405 Email: john.gordon@qja.com.au M: 0408 879 182 M: 0424 338 381 E: carmelo.pasquale@qja.com.auEmail: dave.r E: bronwyn.mcentee@qja.com.au
.au
Mr Keith Revell JP (Qual) Telephone: (07) 3803 4337 Keith Revell JP(Qual) Garth Stephens JP(Qual) Mobile: 0411 134 841 M: 0411 134 841 M: 0481 550 721 Email: keith.revell@qja.com.au E: garth.stephens@qja.com.au E: keith.revell@qja.com.au
JP (Qual) 4152 3318 (AH) 2 135 @qja.com.au
dale JP(Qual) 3353 2927 683 325 endale@qja.com.au
Mr Doug Hull JP (Qual) Queensland Justices Association State Office Telephone: (07) 4128 0294 Email: doug.hull@qja.com.au
Mr John Carp Telephone (0 Mobile 0 Email john.ca
Mr Christoph Mobile: 041 Email: chris.
Porter JP(Qual) 48 189 ter@qja.com.au
Coordinator Membership Officer Merchandise Officer QUEENSLAND JUSTICES Training ASSOCIATION - ACN Gabor 009 666 559 – ISSN 1839-2784 Cindy Revell JP(Qual) Beres JP (Qual) Aaron Dunster JP(Qual)
Business Manager and Registrar Wendy La Macchia JP(Qual) E: admin@qja.com.au
E: training@qja.com.au
E: memberships@qja.com.au
E: merchandise@qja.com.au
The Queensland Justices Association (QJA) is a not-for-profit publicACN company limited 009 666 559 – ISSNby 1839-2784 751 Stanley by Street, Woolloongabba, Qld 4102. guarantee operating under the Corporations Act 2001 and is governed a Board of Directors.
PO Box 8419, Woolloongabba, Qld 4102 Freecall 1800 061 423; Phone (07) 3392 2455 751 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba, Qld 4102. E:admin@qja.com.au www.qja.com.au PO Box 8419, Woolloongabba, Qld 4102
Registered Office: Postal Address: Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm 392 2955The QJA Journal is compiled by an Editorial Board on behalf of the QJA. | Editor Joan Kennedy Deputy Editor: John Carpendale. The views expressed in articles & advertisements published the QJA061 Journal are not- necessarily the views of the3392 Queensland Justices Contact: Free call: in1800 423 Telephone: (07) 2455 - Association Facsimile: (07 or the Board of Directors.© Queensland Justices Association claims copyright to all material published in this Journal. No material may be copied or Email: admin@qja.com.au reproduced without the written consent of the QJA. All enquiries should be addressed to The Editor at editor@qja.com.au Website: www.qja.com.au Printed by ZinkJPPrint. PO Box 236, Kallangur QLD 4503. Phone 0437 777 079 or visit us at www.zinkprint.net.au. AE, Cert IV Fin Serv, (Qual) Facebook: www.facebook.com/QldJusticesAssn Registrar: Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices Angela since 1918 Yin BA (Journalism), GradDipSocAdmin, MHumanServ, Cert IV 2
eensland Justices Association
VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 3 • SPRING 2019
PRESIDENT’S PAGE Dear QJA colleagues, It is now almost two years since I became your QJA President (November 2017) and as we approach the end of my first two-year term, it is appropriate to reflect on what’s transpired in that time, what’s going on at the present time and what the future might hold.
Looking back The most memorable occurrence in the last two years was undoubtedly the 2018 centennial year celebrations which included the social events arranged by branches throughout the State to present members with special centenary badges. I was fortunate enough to participate in the functions held in Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, Caloundra, Hornibrook, Lockyer, Caboolture, South Pine, Brisbane North and Gold Coast / Logan. The celebration year culminated with the Centennial Year Conference and Gala Dinner at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in November. Feedback from attendees confirmed these were well-appreciated and high-quality events befitting the achievement of 100 years of existence. We also developed and produced a special publication to chronicle the 100 year story: QJA - Across the Generations.
More recently One of the privileges associated with being the QJA President is the opportunity I get to interact with individuals and groups of QJA members at different locations. In recent weeks, my presidential duties have allowed me to be involved in the following activities: Celebrating 60 years of QJA membership During the months of June, July and August, I was very privileged to visit with several longstanding QJA members and to join with them in celebrating the achievement of 60 years with our organisation. In recognition of this significant milestone, each officer was presented with a 60-year etched plaque (together with a package of other QJA merchandise). Pictured below are plaque presentations to QJA members Garry Franke (former QJA Councillor, accepting the plaque on behalf of his father Elwyn of the Sunshine Coast), Olive Johnstone of Clayfield, Bryan Menhinnett of Wynnum and Noel Taylor of Beaudesert:
I sincerely enjoyed the time I spent chatting with each of these esteemed QJA members. Thanks to each of them for allowing me to spend some time in their company. Branch Forum at Beerburrum On Saturday 8 June 2019, representatives of seven (7) QJA branches assembled at the Beerburrum School of Arts hall to participate the 2019 QJA Branch Forum Program. In my role as President, it was my pleasure to be present for the full day session and to spend time interacting with the attending branch committee members. Feedback from attendees reinforced their support for the program and the expectation that more regular gatherings will be organised into the future.
Pictured above are representatives from the Noosa, Maroochydore, Caloundra, Caboolture, Hornibrook, South Pine and Brisbane North branches together with several QJA board members at the Forum.
Looking forward As the sole candidate for the position of President in the current election for the 2019-2021 directorship term, I will again be the incumbent for next two years. In this role, I look forward to leading the new board to accept the challenges that lie ahead: Organisational enhancement As reported in the last Journal, the current Board commissioned an independent review of the whole organisation (governance and operations) to identify those areas where improvement might be most appropriate. The recommendations have been considered and business plans have been drafted to implement those initiatives we believe will give effect to the most improvement for our members. These business plans will be gradually implemented in the coming weeks and months. Accreditation program One initiative the current Board wants to see developed and delivered is a program to recognise and accredit those QJA members who demonstrate high levels of professionalism and competence as JP practitioners. We plan for this concept to continue to be developed and refined with trial implementation being targeted in the first half of 2020. Training and Professional Development QJA will continue to develop new and improved training and PD functionality to ensure our members remain leaders in JP competency and professionalism. Existing technical resources will be complemented and enhanced by the addition of “soft skill” subject matter and advances in the digital delivery of course material in the coming months.
John Carpendale, QJA President Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
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QJA BOARD MATTERS Board Elections Nominations for election to the QJA Board of Directors were called for in the last Journal; however, as there were insufficient nominations to fill all 10 Board positions, the closing date was extended. Further nominations were received and elections by ballot will proceed opening on Monday 2 September 2019 and closing 5pm on Friday 4 October 2019. As there was only one nomination for the position of President, no ballot was necessary and John Carpendale will continue in his current role of President QJA. There were two nominations for the position of Vice President and a ballot is required to determine the successful candidate. The nominees are Bruce Birtwell and Joan Kennedy who are both currently serving as Board Directors. Voting As in previous years QJA will use an online voting platform to facilitate the casting of member’s votes in this year’s Board election. The online voting system is provided by Simply Voting Inc, a full-service provider of secure, hosted online elections. It is a well-established and highly respected system used widely by a multitude of corporations, trade unions and associations for their election process. If we have your email address, we will have sent you a personalised email which explains the online voting system and provides login details including a system generated unique password. To vote online, just follow the prompts included in that email message to enter the secure voting site and, once in, simply follow the prompts within that site. Candidate profiles are also included within the Simply Voting system. If you would prefer to submit a postal vote (rather than voting online), please contact the QJA Office (phone: 3392 2455) and we will send you a hard copy voting pack. If we do not have an email address for you, a hard copy voting pack will be posted to you automatically. The Returning Officer for the QJA Board election is Mr Dale Blackmore from Hall Payne Lawyers, - QJA’s honorary solicitors. The election results will be announced on Saturday 26 October 2019 at the AGM which will be held at the annual state conference.
QJA member benefits and advantages What do you say when you are asked why do you belong to the QJA? What’s in it for me? The Board recently received a letter from one of our members asking just that question. The Board provided the response detailed below, to the member who in turn was wowed by the extent and breadth of these benefits of QJA membership. Cast an eye over the following paragraphs to remind yourself of the benefits and advantages of retaining QJA membership. Board Response to member The QJA is a membership driven organisation focussed on benefits to you personally with Industry specific information forums, whereas the Department of Justice and AttorneyGeneral JP Branch provides management, administration, compliance and provides generic basic support to the 80,000+ 4
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
honorary justices across Queensland. The Department of Justice and Attorney-General is focussed on the JPs in the Community Signing Centres whereas QJA acknowledges that JPs and Cdecs provide volunteering services outside of these centres. Our mission is to provide exceptional products, services and programs that enable QJA members to be highly competent and professional practitioners serving the community. With this in mind, I would like to outline the benefits of QJA membership here: Information, Support and Professional Development • ‘The Guide’ which complements the Department of Justice JP Handbook with additional and supporting information. • 24/7 access to online Basic and Advanced courses for practicing JPs and Cdecs which cover a wide range of topics including powers under the Customs Act; Bail and Sureties and other less common subjects. These are adapted for already appointed JPs and Cdecs and replicates current pre-appointment training (worth $380) and is absolutely free to members. This is perfect for practicing JPs who want to refresh their knowledge to the latest standards. • 24/7 access to online quizzes – all of our resources are available on mobile devices through the Moodle app for access anywhere and anytime. • Links to other relevant and related resources such as Government Departments, Public Trustee, Public Guardian, Federal Circuit Court and Family Law Courts; as well as frequently used forms such as Statutory Declarations, Advance Health Directives and Powers of Attorney forms • Access to QJA developed tools such as checklists for EPAs, AHDs, Search Warrants, Oath of Service and Peace and Good Behaviour checklists. • State Office support via phone during business hours for practical advice. • Special interest group membership which provides bulletins on areas of practice you are interested in. • Training videos with role play scenarios on a range of topics including JP services provided under the Animal Protection Act and Customs Act. • In addition to these resources, the QJA has developed and trialled an electronic logbook to help JPs and C.Decs keep pace with changes in technology. Feedback from those involved in the trial has been extremely positive and the logbook will be rolled out soon, free of charge to QJA members who wish to take advantage of this exciting new initiative. This electronic logbook provides an extensive secure record keeping and checklist process for all aspects of a JP (Qual) or C.Decs duties and is not just a replacement for the paper version. I urge you and your colleagues to view it on the members section of the QJA website which includes an easy how to use guide. (You can read about the eLogbook in more detail on page 5 of this edition of the Journal. Editor) • Webinars are currently being trialled and will be available soon on a range of topics for members only. The webinars will be hosted by active and experienced JPs, and will be interactive, offering question time at the end of each session.
VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 3 • SPRING 2019 Local QJA Branch Network Each QJA member is associated with one of forty local Branches or Contact Groups throughout the State. Each Branch has an elected executive team who, volunteer their time and effort to convene meetings, engage speakers and run workshops. These workshops are usually interactive, focus on document processing not just speakers, and engaged with the local community. It is through these networks that members can share their experiences, have access to face to face professional development meetings, refresher courses and workshops on a wide range of topics. Non-members are welcome to attend 2 branch meetings; however, further attendance requires QJA membership. In contrast, the Department of Justice and Attorney-General JP Branch provides very little in the way of face to face professional development to regional centres, and tends to focus on general witnessing when it does. The annual state conference, which this year will be held on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday 26 October 2019, offers a reduced-price rate for members, opportunities to network with colleagues and Board members, and access to excellent face to face professional development activities. The full program will be published in the Spring edition of the QJA Journal. The quarterly QJA Journal, as you mention, does promote activities from Branches across the State, however, it also includes technical information, a question and answer section, and feature articles, such as the article on Determining Decision Making Capacity in the recently published Winter edition. Feedback about the Journal is welcomed and your comments have been noted and will be followed up. Honorary Legal Services QJA’s honorary legal service, provided by Hall Payne Lawyers, offers a free will for you and your spouse or partner, plus a discount to any legal service that you may require. In addition, this includes a free initial consultation. Additionally, if you were to make an honest mistake and someone took legal action against you, you could have the assistance of QJA’s honorary lawyers to defend you under Section 36 of the Justices of the Peace and Commissioner for Declarations Act 1991.
ney-General JP Branch, and has a wide range stamps and useful JP merchandise. Registered Training Organisation Further, unlike the Department of Justice and Attorney-General JP Branch, QJA is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) which delivers the pre-enrolment training to prospective JPs and C.Decs. Through this avenue, the QJA is exploring options to deliver ‘soft skills’ courses, (such as conflict / challenging behaviour management) to our members. Partner Benefits QJA members are eligible for a 25% discount when purchasing tailored clothing from Joe Black Tailors. To access our member benefits, visit https://qja.com.au/ourpartners/ QJA is continually improving benefits and resources for its many members and is considering the development of a Professional Accreditation Program. This program will enable members to undertake a series of assessments to demonstrate their competency as experienced JPs and to deliver services with greater confidence. Clients of QJA accredited JPs and Cdecs will benefit from the knowledge that the JP or Cdec is highly skilled, competent and maintains contemporary knowledge. Belonging to the QJA means that you are a member of the pre-eminent association of Justices of the Peace and Commissioners for Declarations that has existed for over 100 years in Queensland. The Board is currently reviewing its products and services with a view to introducing some new initiatives within the next twelve months. Editor
NEW MEMBER SERVICE The QJA eLogbook is here
Earlier this year we conducted a member survey asking about what new developments would encourage you to renew your membership. Overwhelmingly, responders agreed that they would be enthusiastic about an eLogbook. With this in mind we have been busy behind the scenes and have developed and trialled an online Electronic Logbook with a group of members, so now all of the ‘bugs’ have been dealt with and it is available to all members free of charge.
Insurance Unlike the insurance cover offered by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General JP Branch, which only covers you during your shift at the approved JPs in the Community site, QJA insurance covers you for all JP activity undertaken 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. This insurance covers you during attendance at any QJA meeting, workshop or other JP related event, and includes traveling to and from the event or witnessing duty. Merchandise It is true that the Department of Justice provides stamps and resources for use at approved JPs in the Community Program sites. However, JPs can and do provide services anywhere at any time and require their own stamps and log books. The QJA markets personalised stamps, which are not available through the Department of Justice and Attor-
What are the benefits of an electronic logbook? As we move further in to the 21st century, the use of electronic technology has already become accepted practice in many business arenas. As people become more familiar with using technology, it will be expected that record keeping will keep up with modern technology and paper records will become a thing of the past. Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
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There are some good reasons to take up the QJA eLogbook including: • Free of charge – currently the QJA eLogbook is free of charge to QJA members who register for use before 31 December 2019. • Easy to use – provided you have a suitable electronic device and an internet connection. • Convenient and mobile – on a tablet, large-format smartphone, or laptop so with you always. • Consistent and best practice record keeping – as you complete an entry, the QJA eLogbook will prompt you to complete all relevant fields, so that you don’t forget to add any vital information, which you may need to rely on at a later date. • Protected – if you lose a paper logbook your data is no longer secure or private, and you have lost your history. With an electronic logbook, even if you lose your device, your data is still secure and available in the cloud. • Storage – paper-based logbooks take up space and need to be stored indefinitely, electronic logbooks take up no space (except virtual space on a disk drive) and can be stored forever. • Attachments – any additional notes, search warrants or other paper attachments can be uploaded and stored with the relevant record. • Instant Reports and Statistics – daily and summary reports are immediately available for statistical reporting purposes. You will be able to tell at a glance how many statutory declarations, affidavits or search warrants you witnessed in any given timeframe, and how many clients you have provided services to. • Search – if called to court or requested for information, searches of historical records are easy and immediate. Unlike paper logbooks where you can generally only search by date.
A practical demonstration QJA Gold Coast Branch invited Brooke Batley, QJA Trainer and Assessor, and keen eLogbook user, to give a demonstration to workshop participants on Saturday 24 August at the Burleigh Waters Community Centre. Brooke was able to connect directly into the QJA site, and capably assisted by QJA Registrar Wendy La Macchia, give the members a live demonstration.
Brooke Batley instructs the Workshop participants on the use of the QJA eLogbook.
Getting started As Brooke is a registered eLogbook user, he proceeded to sign in, noting that there is a ‘forgot password’ option for those of us who have too many passwords to remember. 6
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
The Home Page keeps you up to date with any new features, functions, or fields that have been added or improved. You can also update your email address and change your password on the Profile Page which is on the top right hand side of the menu bar. There is also a Feedback Button where you can tell us what features you would like added, if you have a problem, have a question, or you find a fault. You can also give a rating to let us know what you think of the service. This will help us to respond quickly to your needs, and keep the service fresh and current. For members using the eLogbook for the first time, there is a requirement to register first. This is done by clicking on the Sign Up button at the top on the right. Once you are signed in you will receive an approval email, and then you can log in and will be returned to the Home Page. The first step after logging in, is to set up your locations. This is done by choosing the My Locations option and entering the name of your most commonly used location. Further locations can be added and edited as necessary at any time. When you open up the fields, there are some default settings such as the date. It will always default to today’s date, but you can override this if you are entering or editing data for a previous date. Similarly the default for ID Sighted is Drivers Licence QLD, but other options are available via a drop down menu. Some options even have additional fields attached, for example, if Police ID is selected another field pops up and asks for the Police Officer’s number. This is of great benefit, as it prompts the JP, to ask the question. So the likelihood of missing data for your records is reduced and your records will remain at best practice standards. Under Service Type, there is a drop-down menu with the most common service types listed, including, but not limited to: • Certified Copy • Statutory Declaration • Affidavit • Search Warrant • Land Title Document • Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) • Advance Health Directive (AHD). Many of these service types will have additional fields which enable you to record your deliberations when determining a search warrant, or if you choose Land Title, you are able to record the details of the document including Lot, Plan, and Title. Another feature is the ability to record the details of your discussions with the client regarding capacity when called on to witness an AHD or EPA. Determining capacity is such an important responsibility for any JP or Cdec, it is reassuring to know that you will have a permanent record if you are ever required to justify your decision. If you are not convinced yet, I urge you to register and give it a try. You may find that once you get used to using it and become familiar with the process, your paper logbooks will become a thing of the past. Just a reminder that it is free to all QJA members subscribing before 31st December 2019. The QJA Board is yet to make a decision about whether there will be a small annual subscription from 2020.
VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 3 • SPRING 2019
MEMBER PROFILE We would like to introduce you to one of our newer QJA family members, Samia Boukerchi. Samia has been a JP for a little more than a year now and has being actively volunteering in the Western Suburbs of Brisbane for six months now. The roles and responsibilities of being a JP are fairly new to Samia and she describes herself as a “puppy” JP. Born in France and originally a French citizen, Samia’s parents migrated to France from Kabylia (a province of Algeria) after the Independence war in 1962. Armed with a Masters` Degree in Food Science and Food Technology, Samia has been travelling for the past 20 years. She has worked in various industries, including the food business industry, mainly in South East Asia and Europe, as well as the hospitality and entertainment industry where she performed in burlesque shows around Europe, USA and Canada. A career change again led her into the fitness industry and she claims ‘fitness freak’ status as she has been doing this for the last 15 years. She has run competitions around Europe, University soccer and some promotional triathlons in the past. Needless to say Samia has been exposed to so many different people from different origins and different states of mind. But at last, seven years ago, she landed in this beautiful and unique island continent and has never thought of leaving. This would become her ‘little island of paradise.’ Samia is passionate about health, fitness, and wellbeing and says she is very oriented towards outdoors activities such as swimming, fishing, spear fishing, camping, kayaking etc., and embraces the philosophy “Building a sane mind in a sane body in a sane environment is primordial in our transited life on Earth.” Samia takes up the story: “When I arrived in Australia and fell in love with this ‘huge island’ and applied for a visa, this was the first time I had ever heard of a JP. I found that I had to go through a mountain of paperwork to get a visa to stay in Australia. But, this did mean that I had the chance to get help from so many JPs to witness or certify a whole bunch of documents in order to get the famous Australian Certificate.” Samia says “A marathon is nothing compared to getting the visa application done, believe me. I docilely went to see JPs and started to wonder what was a JP`s position in the community? Was it a job? No! What a surprise when I heard that they were simply volunteering to do this legal work. Volunteering?”
She goes on to say “Whenever I needed to get my documents witnessed or certified, there was one JP around the corner to serve me and others in the community. What a great commitment! After seeing so many of them, I asked what it would take to join their ranks and become one of them. I thought well, just study the course and here we go, done. No…that was not so easy for me. As you know becoming a JP is conditional upon being an Australian citizen. I was on a permanent residency visa at that time and then, I knew I would apply for citizenship once it was possible. I patiently waited for 4 years to become a citizen of Australia. I strongly wanted to become a JP and give back to the community as those who had helped me when I came to this country. I love what I do, and serving the community as a JP has been one of the best choices of my worldwide travelling, working and volunteering life. I attend the QJA monthly meetings to expand my knowledge and meet new faces and raise any concerns and interrogations during my JP services at the Indooroopilly library and to participate in some events organised by the QJA. There is so much to learn and it is a world of wonder for someone like me being from a different continent with different legal systems. It is an enormous responsibility and I am fully aware of it and extremely proud of serving the community like they did once upon a time when I needed it. By helping the community with people coming from all paths of life and origins, it gives me this great sensation of belonging to the world. Aren`t we all citizens of the world? And now, to end my career and live a full-filing life, I train and inspire people to live a healthy lifestyle. Isn`t it well known that exercising causes Health and Happiness?”
TECHNICAL NEWS QCAT ruling - Enduring Power of Attorney A recent case about the validity of an enduring power of attorney (EPA), was heard before the Queensland Administrative Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) and resulted in the Tribunal making several recommendations to JPs and Cdecs when establishing a principal’s capacity to execute an Enduring Power of Attorney or Advance Health Directive. In this case, the Tribunal found that the EPA was invalid and the Public Trustee was appointed as administrator for all financial matters. The Tribunal relied on advice from medical practitioners about the principal’s capacity and found that the principal had had moderate dementia and declining mental capacity for more than three years prior to signing the EPA. The Tribunal commented that JPs must be very careful when: “attending nursing homes for the purpose of taking instructions and assisting adults with making an EPA for someone who is unable to care for themselves and been admitted to a nursing home and who may have a history of previous health issues affecting his or her capacity”.
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The Tribunal also noted the that legislation provides for the JP to keep notes so that these can be used to substantiate the validity of the execution of the enduring document, and that the Public Guardian has guidelines for the witnessing of enduring documents. The Tribunal was not provided with any documentation from the JP about determining the principal’s capacity. The Tribunal went on to make the following recommendations for JPs: Justices of the Peace: • need to read the guidelines produced by the Public Guardian • should obtain a history from the adult that provides information relevant to the to the adult’s capacity • should obtain the treating health professional’s perspective of the adult’s capacity and any factors that might impact upon that capacity • should obtain collateral from a family member or friend which will ensure the adult is not just confabulating or making things up • should document the steps taken and the basis for accepting that the adult had capacity To view the full court decision click here In addition to the Public Guardian guidelines, QJA has a capacity determining checklist which can greatly assist in recording your discussion when witnessing an EPA or AHD . You can find these tools in our member resources site. Login to the member portal here and then go to Resources> Members Area> Member Tools> Enduring Documents Tools to download. We also have some role play videos you can watch as well.
WORKSHOP WARM-UP Many JPs and Cdecs volunteer in the JPs in the Community Program and spend 3–4 hours at a desk witnessing documents at each session. It is not uncommon for these volunteers to experience stiff necks, sore backs and writer’s cramp. QJA Gold Coast Branch recently included some well-being tips during their professional development and well-being workshop. The session was presented by Laura Kelly, Exercise Physiologist. Laura talked to the audience about the importance of ‘Functional Movement’ to help ward off the risks of cardiovascular disease associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Laura pointed out that it is well known that a sedentary life style increases the risks of cardiovascular disease and: • diabetes • hypertension (high blood pressure) • high cholesterol • weight gain • deep venous thrombosis (DVT) Research has shown that just 2 minutes exercise or functional movement each 20 minutes can reduce these risks and improve posture. Workshop participants had fun as they were encouraged
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to get up and be active with marching on the spot; leg strengthening exercise, such extending the legs when sitting, neck stretches, ankle rotations and shoulder rotations just to mention a few activities. One of our recently sworn in JPs, Janet Thompson-Rofe (pictured), was lucky enough to win a voucher valued at $500 to participate in an online functional movement program which was donated by Laura’s wellbeing clinic.
SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE A colleague of mine had an interesting encounter recently with a client at a regional court house. This client, who declared himself to be well known to the courts and other authorities, arrived at the signing desk wishing to make a statutory declaration. The client presented the completed statutory declaration to the JP who noted that the content of the declaration was written in a short form of English commonly known as ‘text speak’ or ‘text slang’. The JP proceeded to witness the declaration and informed the client that the Magistrate may not be familiar with or able to interpret the content of the declaration and may possibly reject it. Having said that, the JP enquired whether the client wanted to revise the content. The client declined to revise the content claiming ‘No, it will be OK as I have done this before’ or words to that effect. Never having witnessed such a declaration before, the JP was curious to find out how the Magistrate would deal with the client’s statement, and was able to attend the relevant court hearing. Much to the surprise of the JP, the Magistrate accepted the statutory declaration and called for an interpreter to translate the content. Well, said the JP, you live and learn, that was another interesting day on the signing desk.
VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 3 • SPRING 2019
2019 STATE CONFERENCE
This year’s annual state conference is less than 2 months away. It is hosted by QJA Maroochydore Branch on Saturday 26th October at the Innovation Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs. Plans are well underway for a fantastic event. The Conference theme is 21st Century JPs embracing family, technology and society. Before the conference begins attendees can join together on Friday 25th from 5.45 pm at the University campus for drinks and canapés and an evening of networking. Not to be missed is the CAVE2 visualization studio. You will be immersed in a 3D virtual reality in one of only four Cave2 studios in the world.
The conference At the conference an excellent line-up of speakers will keep all engaged throughout the day. The Honourable Catherine Holmes, Chief Justice and Patron of QJA will appear via video link after an introduction by QJA President John Carpendale. The speakers’ line-up includes: • Professor David Lacey, Director of the USC Institute for Cyber Investigations and Forensics; • Tracey Jackson, Prosecutions and Privacy Officer of the RSPCA; • Damien Mealey, Registrar and Manager JP Branch Department of Justice and Attorney General • Tracey Rodgers, Independent Patient Rights Adviser, Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service • Pippa Colman of Pippa Colman Associates who will talk on Family Law and divorce applications; • Dr Lynette Maguire, JP (Mag.Crt.) whose topic is “Selfies, sexting, savagery and suicide”. The full program is available on the QJA website here. During the lunch break members will be able to attend the QJA annual general meeting (AGM) where the new QJA Board of Directors for the 2019-21 term will be announced. To top it all off, we will finish with the Conference Dinner at the Mooloolaba Surf Club where we will be entertained by a Gypsy Jazz band. The evening will conclude with the announcement of the destination for the 2020 State Conference and the grand presentation of the annual QJA awards for: • Emerging Leader • Community Engagement • Branch of the Year • Member of the Year.
Accommodation and Parking
There are a number of discounted accommodation options conveniently located. The QJA has secured an accommodation deal and you can access bookings via the link here Alternatively, you may prefer to choose from the following which all provide a 10% discount when the relevant code is quoted. All accept online bookings, and are near the Surf Club for dinner and the Mantra Hotel to access the conference shuttle bus: • Landmark Resort & Spa: Discount code “MLBASC” • Seaview Mooloolaba Beach, Mantra Sirocco and Mantra Zanzibar: Discount code “MBEVENTS” • Newport Mooloolaba: Discount code “SURF CLUB” Ample parking is available at the rear of the Innovation Centre. Attendees will be rewarded with discount vouchers for some of the Sunshine Coast’s favourite tourist attractions.
Partners Activities
If you have a partner coming along, who is not attending the conference, they can visit the famous Eumundi Markets as well as the award-winning tourist attraction, The Ginger Factory at Yandina. For the price of $25 a bus will transport guests from the Mantra Hotel Mooloolaba and return in the late afternoon. Guests can spend the morning exploring the markets stalls, hear musicians, and experience the fabulous food stalls.
Eumundi Markets
The Ginger Factory promises a delightful afternoon with a trip on the train, or a boat ride, and a taste of the fabulous ginger products and perhaps a ginger inspired lunch paired with a glass of Buderim Ginger alcoholic ginger beer to make it a great experience to remember.
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Featured speakers
Some of Dr Maguire’s areas of expertise include:
Pippa Colman Pippa Colman (pictured) will present a session on Family Law and the divorce application process. This will provide an outline of what family law is, and the types of documents requiring witnessing in family law. The role of a witness in family law will also be discussed along with some stories about previous witnessing situations.
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the impact generational changes have on our culture, including the impact on businesses, not for profit organisations and workplace behaviours, and
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the impact internet and social media has on behaviour with an increase in cyberbullying and teen suicide.
Her keynote speech at the close of the conference promises to be something different and one of the highlights of the day.
2019 State Conference Saturday 26 October 2019 Innovation Centre University of the Sunshine Coast Ms Colman commenced her career in law as an articled clerk in 1974. In 1979 she was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland. Pippa became a Family Law accredited specialist in 1995 and founded Pippa Colman and Associates in 2001, now the largest Family Law specialists on the Sunshine Coast. Dr Lynnette Maguire, QCAT JP Magistrate. Dr Lynette Maguire’s doctoral research at the University of the Sunshine Coast, looked at the rise of narcissism and violence in our culture and how the internet and social media are impacting the behaviours and belief systems of our younger generations.
Members $60 Non-Members $65
Conference Dinner Saturday 26 October 2019 Mooloolaba Surf Club Members $50 Non-Members $55 Includes 2 course meal & Gypsy Jazz Band Cash Bar available
Pre-conference Meet & Greet Friday 25 October 2019 CAVE2 Visualisation Studio University of the Sunshine Coast Members $18 Non-Members $20 Graduating in 2015 with the University’s Chancellor’s Medal, the highest award given to a graduating student, Lynette now spends her time speaking at conferences and running workshops and masterclasses around the world.
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Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
Register here www.qja.com.au
VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 3 • SPRING 2019
ROLL OF HONOUR Members should note that the Roll of Honour recognises the length of Membership of the QJA. Members wishing to receive the official distinguished service certificate as a Justice of the Peace for the State of Queensland should contact their local State Member of Parliament. The Board wishes to acknowledge the long service given by the following Members.
60 Years QJA Membership
John MacDonald
50 Years QJA Membership
Morris Birkbeck
Vince Costanzo
Benjamen Wootton
40 Years QJA Membership William Bowkett Charles Clist
Patricia Conn
Alan Dann
Edward Then
Ronald Prideaux
Clarence Sheraton
25 Years QJA Membership
Judith Litster
James McPherson
Janice Nugent
Welcome to New Members The following have joined the QJA since the last Journal: Kelly Adams Karen Amdal Julie Anderson Jonathan Anderson Michael Andrews Debra Anstis Michelle Armstrong Meg Armstrong Mary-Ann Arthur Jennifer Baker Reece Barker Kerry Barridge Maree Bassett Katrina Beard Diane Beasley Allan Thomas Becker Octavia Bellekens Fiona Bennett Yolanda Berryman Michael Bishop Imogen Bizilis Melisande Bland Ruth Brades Micah Brennan Karina Brice Carmen Broderick Glenda Brooks Nicole Brown Colin Browne Jarrett Brugman Andrew Burness Lee-anne Bye Samson Byrne Qi Campbell Roderick Campbell Krista Capuano Belinda Carlson Shannon Carr Conor Carroll Zoe Chiverton Melissa Clews Holly Clifford Catherine Coad Kathy Collins Colin Colquhoun Jocelyn Connor Asha Constance Lynelle Corkill Danielle Cox Kristy-Lee Crawford Sharyn Crawford Sarah Crawford Vicki Crick Gerald Crooks Ian Crouch Joanne Lee Davies Kelera Davis James De Angelis
Simon Debritz Robert Delbridge Taneta Dickson Megan Dingle Cheryl Dowell Russell Dowling Joachina Dowse Amanda Doyle Amanda Dryden Alfred Dunbar Annette Dunlop Samuel Duong Breanna Durnan Kylie Evans Etienne Fabre Shalon Farrelly Louise Finegan Amanda Finney Eloise Fisher Sharon Fitzgerald Elise Fooks Rose Fowler Amanda Gates Maria Geddes Teliah Jessica Gill Kylie Girgenti Helen Goldsack Chantel Goodenough Scott Graham Ryan Grice Ian Grieve Janine Grose Rhian Guest Al Attas Habeeb Furkhan Carolyn Jill Hadley Alia Hamid Kylie Hampson Therese Harbrow Lachlan Hardie Georgina Harper Robyn Hausler Andrew Hawkins Amanda Hellier Gordon Hervey Alyssa Hewitt Zoe Hignett Darin Hindmarsh Noeline Hirst Danielle Hooker Deanna Hunt Louise Jaeger Robert Jago Kelvin Jakes Lauren Johnson Cris Johnston Glenda Jones-Terare Brittney Kane Julie Kelly Marie Kelly
Lorraine Kruse Jaclyn Lanham Max Lau Janeen Leadbetter Joakim Lecatsas Brendan Lee Anita Leppala Kelly Lisle Aliasger Lokhandwala Rizza Lumague Shona MacLeod Peter Major Paula Malam Megan Marshall Colin Martin Eloise McAllister Breanna McCormick Michelle McGarvey Margaret McGinley Lea McGinniss Madelein McGovern Luke McGrath Karene McKay Myles McKenzie Anna Mehonoshen Yvonne Merbach Kerrie Merchant Barbara Merton Renee Millerd Janet Millward Melanie Milne Debbie Montgomery Nicola Morgan Diana Mulford David Munro Carolyn Murtha Sujaritha Nedunchezhian Meredith Nestor Paul Newman Leisl Norris Nicole Nosworthy Nikki-Lee Nugent Jason O’Brien Madonna O’Connor Britney OKeeffe Randal O’Keeffe Tracy O’Reilly Julian Origliasso Rachel Orupold Tamaryn Osborne Juanita Osborne Heather Palmer Christine Parry Soraya Peachey Sally Perry Ashleigh Pigott Leigh Poli Lorena-Giovanna Polo Patricia Pottle
Paige Potts Homnidhi Poudel Sandra Price Shelley Prior Karin Prosee Reilly Rafferty William Rasmussen Nathan Reeves Michael Rehbein Bridie Reid Michael Ridsdale Megan Ross Sean Scott Adeina Shackleton Joan Shanahan Vishal Sharma Julie-ann Sherwood Erin Shore Scott Simpson Benjamin Simpson Lauren Simpson Shannyn Skan Katherine Smith Callum Smith Hannah Smith Gregory Smith Flora Smith Craig Stephenson Aspen Storey Kimberley Sully Dale Swanson Paul Tarvit Ashlee Taylor Susan Taylor Karina Thew Peter Thomas Rebecca Thompson Sallina Tieppo Wayne Turner Sofie Turvey Patricia Vesely Sancia Walker Nicole Waller Kloe Wehlisch Janine Weldon Kylie Whitlock Neil Whittaker Colleen Whittaker Michael Wilkinson Natalie Williamson Susan Williamson Jane Wolgast Jonathon Woodgate Melinda Young Amanda Young Sam Yuan Margaret Yuille Angelina Zande-Wilkins
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Q&A Q1 Recently my next door neighbour, whom I have known for the past twenty years, asked me if I would witness an Advanced Health Directive (AHD) for him. I agreed to do so, but during a conversation with him, he revealed that he intends to leave some of his belongings to me in his will. How will this effect on my ability to witness his AHD, and what should I do in this situation? A1 Wills are some of the most contested documents in a court of law. Therefore, it is best practice to avoid anything that can be challenged. Being a beneficiary of someone’s will could cause a witness to an Advanced Health Directive a conflict of interest and therefore be challenged in court. In this situation the judge may determine the will be null and void and the testator would then die intestate (without a will). The Explanatory Notes on pages 3 – 5 of the AHD quite clearly set out who can witness an AHD. To be eligible the witness must: • be 21 years of age or over • be a Justice of the Peace; Commissioner for Declarations; a lawyer; or notary public • not be the attorney for the principal • not be related to the principal • not be the principal’s paid carer or current health care provider such as a doctor or nurse • not be a beneficiary of the principal’s will In this situation, you should advise your neighbour that you are not an eligible witness and ask him to seek the services or another JP, or eligible witness as listed above. The following three Q&As are all concerned with location. Location regarding: • stolen goods; • interstate statutory declarations; and • the witnessing officer’s location Q2 I was recently approached by a Police Officer to issue a Search Warrant for a property in a southern suburb of Brisbane. The warrant application stated that the occupants were suspected of receiving stolen goods. I asked the Officer to tell me what goods were stolen and where they were stolen from. The police officer advised that the goods were stolen from Newcastle in NSW, and that the items were trade tools which had been reported stolen from a vehicle. I advised him that, as the crime was committed in NSW, and that I am a Queensland Justice of the Peace I did not have the authority to issue a search warrant under these circumstances. However, he went on to say that, as the stolen goods had been brought into Queensland, it was therefore a Queensland offence and that I should issue the search warrant. Is this correct and should I issue the search warrant under these circumstances? A2 Yes. Under these circumstances you described, where 12
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
the stolen items were brought into Queensland, it would be an offence under Queensland law. You could ask the Police Officer to clarify which Queensland legislation applies in this case. Other questions you could ask are: • How did you determine that the goods are located at the property to be searched? • What evidence do you have? • Exactly what trade tools are you looking for? • How did you determine the name of the occupants? • How did you identify the premises? • Are there any special powers requested in the application? It is always a good idea to ask how the police received their information. If it is by way of an informant it is unwise to ask who the informant is, but you could ask “Is the informant and information received reliable? Have you used this informant previously?” When checking through the application for a search warrant you should ensure that it gives the full name, rank, registered number and station of the applicant as well as the basis for the application. You should also ensure: • It is dated the day you issue it • It gives the address and full description of the premises to be searched (a vague description of the premises such as “the green house on the left hand side of the street” would not be good enough) • the full name of the occupier of the premises (if known). • It includes the date and time the search warrant ends. (It could be a 7 day warrant or a 72 hour (3 day) warrant. Q3 Recently while on roster duty at the local court house I was approached by a person on holidays from Tasmania. The lady had an urgent Statutory Declaration which she wished to have witnessed. However, it was a Statutory Declaration under a Tasmanian Act. She said it was urgent and she was unable to get a Tasmanian JP in Queensland to witness it for her. Would I be wrong to witness it for her, and is there any advice I could offer her? A3 There are a number of things you can do in this situation, but first you should advise the client that you are a JP appointed under Queensland legislation and you have authority to witness statutory declarations under Queensland and Commonwealth legislation only, and that your authority does not extend interstate. However, it is up to the receiving agency as to whether they will recognise your authority interstate. It would be wise to try to determine if the agency receiving this statutory declaration in Tasmania will accept you as a witness beforehand, perhaps by making a simple phone call to them. Alternatively, if this is not possible, you could go ahead and witness the document using the Queensland
VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 3 • SPRING 2019 process of witnessing Statutory Declarations, and stating clearly next to your signature the words “JP for, and in the state of Queensland”. You would need to explain to the client that the Tasmanian agency receiving the statutory declaration may not choose to accept your authority. Q4 Am I permitted to act as a JP(Qual) outside Queensland? A4 Yes, you can act as a JP (Qual) outside Queensland provided that the document you are witnessing has been issued under Queensland legislation (that is to say that the document is to be used in Queensland) or if it has been issued under Commonwealth law. You are qualified as a Justice of the Peace (Qualified) for the state of Queensland and the Commonwealth of Australia and you can witness Queensland and Australian Commonwealth documents anywhere in the world. Q5 Can I witness an Oath of Service if I did not witness the original summons? A5 Yes you can. The Oath of Service is the document that demonstrates that the original summons has been delivered to the intended recipient. When you are asked to witness an Oath of Service you should establish that the client before you has actually served the summons. When you are satisfied that this is the case and you have sighted an appropriate ID, warn the client of their responsibilities under the Oaths Act and place them under oath. You should proceed by checking the document to ensure that: • all sections have been completed • the date is correct • any amendments or crossing out has been initialed by yourself and the deponent, this should include ruling through any fields that do not apply • witness the deponent’s signature • sign the document yourself, affix your seal and insert your registration number, and then: • record the appropriate details in your logbook. Q6 I rarely witness any Police documents and was a little confused when a Police Officer arrived at the signing centre and asked me to witness a production notice. As I was unsure what to do, I referred the Officer to a colleague. Can you explain what production notices are and how should I deal with them in the future? A6 A production notice is a police document that can be issued under the Police Powers and Responsibility Act. It authorises a Police Officer to obtain the documents stated on the notice, which might provide evidence of a crime or suspicious financial activity, from a cash dealer. A Cash Dealer may be a financial institution, a body corporate, or bookmaker, or similar, as described under the Financial Transactions Report Act 1988. The Notice allows the Police Officer to inspect a document, take extracts from a document, make copies of a document, and to seize a document. The form comes in two parts, the Application and the Production Notice. The Application: must be sworn or affirmed by the
Police Officer and includes information that substantiates the reason for issuing of the production notice. This may include, details of the suspected offence, the name of the cash dealer, the type of document/s sought and a statement indicating that the cash dealer is not party to the offence. The Production Notice: gives details of the cash dealer, the suspected offence, and the type of documents required to be produced within a stated time, and at a stated place. Before issuing the production notice, you must be satisfied there are reasonable grounds in the application for suspecting the documents in the possession of the cash dealer may be evidence of the commission of an offence or confiscation related evidence and that the cash dealer is not party to the offence. When approached to issue a production notice, you should: • ask the applicant for some form of identification • place the applicant on oath or affirmation • read the entire application carefully ensuring that it includes: * the applicant’s name, rank, registered number and station * the name of the cash dealer to be given the notice * a brief description of the offence * the nature of the documents sought * information or evidence relied on to support the suspicion that the documents are with the cash dealer * a statement that the cash dealer is not a party to the offence * a full history of any previous production notices issued in the past year Any further information supplied under oath or affirmation should be recorded in your log book for future reference. Once you are satisfied that the production notice is justified, have the applicant sign the application in front of you, and affix your seal and registration number. Complete the production notice, checking that all the details required are included and correct. Insert your full name on the first page of the production notice, sign it and affix your seal and registration number. Q7 A client presented a hand written statutory declaration for witnessing and it had numerous words crossed out. As I perused the document for the purpose of initialing amendments, I noted contradictions and discrepancies in the content of the document. Do I have a responsibility to advise the client if I note an error in the content of a Statutory Declaration? A7 The client is responsible for the content of the statuary declaration. The witness should not give advice about the content. However, in this circumstance where amendments have been made, you may suggest that the client re-reads the declaration carefully to ensure it is exactly what the client wishes to declare.
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REGIONAL ROUNDUP Caboolture Branch
others in setting up the site.
Caboolture Branch was a lucky recipient of a $1000 Stocklands Community Grant which was used to purchase a new laptop and software. The Branch aims to use it at their monthly meetings and various events and workshops which they hold each year. “Keeping our member JPs and Cdecs trained and up to date with ever changing documents is our goal. This grant will help us deliver refresher training programs to ensure a better service for our community.” said Branch Secretary Sara Gault. Sharran and Les Turner seated, supporting new recruit Elizabeth Newman at Beenleigh Market Place
Mackay Branch
Showing off the new computer purchased with the community grant are L to R Alan Stothart (Treasurer), Sara Gault (Secretary), Peter Wood, Joan Wicks, Ian Hanna, John Olding, John Geary (Chair) Alan McLaughlin
Logan Branch
The Volunteer JP’s from the Mackay QJA Branch attended the Mackay Volunteer Expo held on 26th May 2019. The Mackay Regional Council has coordinated the Expo for the past 3 years and the Mackay QJA Branch has been present for each year to let people know about how to become a JP and what you can do to be a volunteer JP in our Community. It was a successful day and one new member attended our last Branch meeting. Our Deputy Chairperson, Carmelo Pasquale, set up his computer and run the QJA video to tempt JP’s to become a member of QJA and volunteer at one of the local JP’s in the Community Signing Centres. We also advertised the Caneland JP Signing Centre, which is coordinated by our branch.
Logan has some new faces in the Branch Committee which was elected at the Branch AGM on Monday 8th July at the Logan Recreation Club. The new executive includes Terry Williams, Chair; Christine Gore, Secretary; Julie Holden, Treasurer; and committee members Helen Townes, Joe Goodall, and Arthur Richardson.
L to R: Carmelo Pasquale, Laura Jorgensen & Fran Killian.
Western Suburbs Branch
Western Suburbs Branch members were on hand at the Oxley State School Fete on 22nd June to witness documents and chat with people about and becoming a JP and the benefits of QJA membership. L to R Christine Gore; Helen Townes; Joe Goodall; Julie Holden: Arthur Richardson and Branch Chair Terry Williams
Outgoing Chair Brooke Batley was given a round of applause in appreciation for his dedication and leadership, as he handed over the reins to the new Chair Terry Williams. Beenleigh residents will not be short of a JP despite the closure of Beenleigh Courthouse signing centre to make way for the new Domestic Violence Court. A new site has been established at the Beenleigh Market Place, just a few streets away. Coordinator Vince Hurley, JP (Qual) has been very impressed with the support of centre management and
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Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
L to R: Garth Stephens, Beverley Leckie and Samia Boukerchi
VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 3 • SPRING 2019 Rockhampton Branch
When questioned about whether JPs should rely on a doctor’s letter which states the principal has capacity, he reminded the audience that, while it is a useful tool, it is incumbent on the JP to satisfy themselves that the principal has decision making capacity at the time of signing the enduring document.
L to R: Chief Magistrate, Orazio Rinaudo, ED Magistrate Services Brigita Cunnington and Paul Brown, long term volunteer in Rockhampton receives his certificate
Volunteers who attend the Court House Rockhampton, were invited to join staff and other guests at a combined morning tea at the Magistrates Court which included Volunteer Week celebrations and their contribution to Australian’s Biggest Morning Tea. As well as a delicious array of food, volunteers were presented with a fames certificate. Queensland Chief Magistrate, Orazio Rinaudo, and the Executive Director Magistrate Courts Service Brigit Cunnington, were on hand to present the certificates
Gold Coast Branch
Leonie Mulqueeney led the Gold Coast audience through the stages of the Enneagram.
The active session was followed up with a session on the Enneagram which is a personality type test aimed at gaining a better understanding of ourselves and others we meet. As JPs we often encounter challenging behaviours, and knowing what makes people tick can help us to deal with stressed and distressed clients.
Gladstone Branch Some well know faces were on hand at the June Gladstone Branch meeting:
Participants at the Gold Coast Workshop got active during the Functional Movement session presented by Laura Kelly, Exercise Physiologist on Saturday 24th August at the Burleigh Waters Community Centre. (See page 8 for details of the healthy tips provided)
Attendees also heard from Brendon Balogh, Community Engagement Officer, JP Branch, Department of Justice and Attorney General. Brendon spoke about determining mental capacity in relation to witnessing enduring powers of attorney and advance health directive documents. Brendon stressed the need for JPs to remind clients to read the instructions pages and for the JPs to ask open ended questions about the instructions. This is one method of establishing the client’s level of understanding of the document. He also talked about how not signing in all of the appropriate places, which is a common mistake that can invalidate the document.
L to R: Former QJA Board Director Raymond Young OAM, Lucy Lennon, Dulcie Benn, QJA Board Director Carmelo Pasquale, David Noye and Janet Wilson.
Let us know what you’re doing If you’d like the QJA membership to be informed about the activities of your group via exposure on these pages, send the relevant information to: editor@qja.com.au. Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
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REGIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION BEAUDESERT CONTACT GROUP Bernice Lippiatt beaudesert@qja.com.au Telephone: 0481 554 805
GLADSTONE BRANCH Ruth Waite gladstone@qja.com.au Telephone: 0438 741 318
BOWEN CONTACT GROUP Anne Maree Bligh bowen@qja.com.au Telephone: 0417 735 990
GOLD COAST BRANCH Joan Kennedy goldcoast@qja.com.au Telephone: 0477 510 517
BRISBANE NORTH BRANCH Judith McGarry brisbanenorth@qja.com.au Telephone: 0411 343 078 BRISBANE SOUTH BRANCH Diane Rippon brisbanesouth@qja.com.au Telephone: 0418 233 141 BUNDABERG BRANCH Debra Faint bundaberg@qja.com.au Telephone: 0415 678 343
GREATER SPRINGFIELD BRANCH Leanne Kendall greaterspringfield@qja.com.au Telephone: 0417 706 549 GYMPIE BRANCH Tom Bushell gympie@qja.com.au Telephone: 0402 132 679 HERVEY BAY BRANCH Jo Burnham herveybay@qja.com.au Telephone: 0400 470 936
CABOOLTURE BRANCH Sara Gault caboolture@qja.com.au Telephone: 0439 866 682 CAIRNS SOUTH CONTACT GROUP Ralph Powell cairnssouth@qja.com.au Telephone: 0434 510 333 CALOUNDRA BRANCH Claire Brown caloundra@qja.com.au Telephone: 0408 827 323 CENTRAL HIGHLANDS BRANCH Karen Bray centralhighlands@qja.com.au Telephone: 0438 824 361 ESK CONTACT GROUP Joesph Brischetto esk@qja.com.au Telephone: 0417 198 053 FOREST LAKE CONTACT GROUP Reg Connelly forestlake@qja.com.au Telephone: 0403 167 121
HORNIBROOK BRANCH Bev Nicholls hornibrook@qja.com.au Telephone: 0416 342 488 HOWARD CONTACT GROUP TBA howard@qja.com.au Telephone: TBA IPSWICH BRANCH Jeanette Glasgow ipswich@qja.com.au Telephone: 0400 291 719 KILCOY CONTACT GROUP Kay Jackson kilcoy@qja.com.au Telephone: 07 5424 2461 LOCKYER BRANCH Sharon Munro lockyer@qja.com.au Telephone: 0499 944 376
LOGAN BRANCH Christine Gore logan@qja.com.au Telephone: 0419 029 467
ROSEDALE CONTACT GROUP Jonathan Brown rosedale@qja.com.auTelephone: 0408 068 169
MACKAY BRANCH Maria Valena mackay@qja.com.au Telephone: 0422 636 374
ROSEWOOD CONTACT GROUP Alan Broughton rosewood@qja.com.au Telephone: 0468 802 689
MAREEBA BRANCH Ann Vains mareeba@qja.com.au Telephone: 0419 719 616
SOUTH BURNETT BRANCH Ruth Rimes southburnett@qja.com.au Telephone: 0457 681 159
MAROOCHYDORE BRANCH Eva Marie Seeto maroochydore@qja.com.au Telephone: 0417 635 0788
SOUTH PINE BRANCH Kyra Griffiths southpine@qja.com.au Telephone: 0499 199 223
MARYBOROUGH BRANCH Andrew Baker maryborough@qja.com.au Telephone: 0422 730 890
TIN CAN BAY CONTACT GROUP Rod Ehrke tincanbay@qja.com.au Telephone: 0448 943 336
NOOSA BRANCH Margaret Lewins noosa@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 3150 0195
TOOWOOMBA BRANCH Jeni Rengers toowoomba@qja.com.au Telephone: 0408 771 786
REDLAND CITY BRANCH Susan Freeman-Brown redlandcity@qja.com.au Telephone: 0433 329 044
TOWNSVILLE BRANCH Tracey Cooper townsville@qja.com.au Telephone: 0423 695 855
ROCKHAMPTON BRANCH Lawrence Fox rockhampton@qja.com.au Telephone: 0448 439 999
WESTERN SUBURBS BRANCH Sasha Raj westernsubs@qja.com.au Telephone: 0417 788 651
ROMA BRANCH Brian O’Rourke roma@qja.com.au Telephone: 0437 557 768
WYNNUM MANLY BRANCH Amanda Hilhorst wynnummanly@qja.com.au Telephone:0423 028 160
Branches conduct regular meetings (at least five per year), conduct training, operate signing facilities, have defined revenue streams and a formalised structure. Contact groups meet on an “as required basis” and generally exist to operate signing facilities and to deal with other local issues. For details of what is happening in your local area, including professional development opportunities, please feel free to phone any of the numbers above and your local contact will be happy to assist.
INTERSTATE CONTACT INFORMATION NSW
NT
TAS
Lismore Paul Beckey lismore@qja.com.au 0428 560 467
SA
Hobart Barrie Bell hobart@qja.com.au 0419 395 796
Southern Riverina Elizabeth Adam south.riverina@qja.com.au 0427 617 589
Jabiru Karen Beare nt@qja.com.au 0417 891 226 Adelaide Noel J. Lindsay adelaide@qja.com.au 0407 507 773
Sydney (Inner West) Jim Elmore sydney.1@qja.com.au 0408 870 721 Wollongong Peter Pioro wollongong@qja.com.au 0419 638 121
Adelaide Hills Fred Braun adelaide.hls@qja.com.au (08) 8389 9462 Victor Harbor Timothy Barclay victor.harbor@qja.com.au 0403 134 290
Deloraine Annette Powell deloraine@qja.com.au 0427 158 648
Melbourne (Glen Waverley) Simon Bullimore melbourne.2@qja.com.au 0419 756 780
VIC
Bendigo Richard Lancaster bendigo@qja.com.au 0407 345 472 Melbourne (Langwarrin) Robert Bolch melbourne.1@qja.com.au 0412 155 634
INTERNATIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION Hong Kong Luca Ferrerio hong.kong@qja.com.au 16
New Zealand Brandan Hooper nz@qja.com.au
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
UK (Norfolk) Derek Hill uk@qja.com.au
USA (Texas) Tanya Conole usa@qja.com.au
VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 3 • SPRING 2019
2019 BOARD ELECTION: CANDIDATE PROFILES Bruce Birtwell JP(Qual)
Candidate for Vice President and Board Member
Bruce seeks re-election to the QJA Board as member and nominating for Vice-President and his suitability demonstrated by: Board Director: 2015 – 2017; 2019 – invited back on the board. Active member on the Board: Leading and developing the Community Engagement program and the QJA Awards culminating in the very successful inaugural awards at the 2016 Rockhampton State Conference; Assisting the Branch Forum initiative in Childers and Lowood in 2017 and current 2019 forums team to build branch networks, organizational governance, resources and support the branches; Branch Patron to Toowoomba, Lockyer, Roma, contact groups Esk & Kilcoy; the governance and the OHS portfolios. Appointed a Justice of Peace in October 1989 and upgrading to JP (Qual) in May 1990. QJA Member since January 1990. Active Toowoomba Branch member since 2011; Branch Chairman and Coordinator of the Clifford Gardens Signing Centre since September 2014; Led the team organizing the successful 2017 State Conference in Toowoomba; Committee Member 2018 Centennial Conference. Toowoomba Branch nominated and successfully being awards the “Community Engagement Award” at the 2018 Centennial Conference with the Refugees as JPs Initiative. A Senior Biosecurity Officer with Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, is appointments under several Acts administered by Biosecurity Queensland. Commenced as a Meat Inspector with the Department of Primary Industries in 1975 after completing a management traineeship with Thomas Borthwick & Sons in Brisbane. Has a: Certificate Animal Husbandry; a Bachelor Applied Science (Biology); Graduate Certificate Public Sector Management; leadership in the knowledge era; strategic planning, managing for outcomes; people and work, includes - ethics, accountability, relationship management, a professional manager in the public sector administering programs, projects and supervision of staff to operating in the multivariate and constant changing work environment; Cert IV Workplace Health & Safety, completing the Diploma WH&S. Qualifications, knowledge and experience validate abilities in corporate governance, financial management and strategic planning. Is experience as: a Cert IV Workplace Trainer & Assessment; QMS Auditor; Trained Safety Advisor; Regulatory officer; Active Departmental representative on Code of Conduct, WHS, Workforce Advisory and WH&S technical reference Committees. Committed to ethical behavior, fairness, and equity and good governances. This supports his commitment to the QJA vision of “A network of JPs & Cdecs delivering professional services.
Joan Kennedy JP(Qual)
Candidate for Vice President and Board Member
I am seeking re-election to the QJA Board of Directors and have also nominated for the position of Vice President. I believe I have the skills and experience to support the President to lead the QJA in a positive direction. I am a JP (Qual) and have been a member of QJA since 2013. I have a wide range of JP experience and provide regular weekly signing services on the Gold Coast. I was elected to the Board in 2017 and since that time I have edited the quarterly QJA Journal, and headed up the 2018 Centenary Year Conference Committee which delivered one of the most ambitious QJA conferences to date, featuring three (3) key note speakers and nine (9) concurrent sessions followed by a Gala dinner at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. I have remained involved with the organisation of the 2019 state conference. In addition, I have actively participated in the Risk Management Committee, conducted market research into member needs, and been a regular attendee at Board meetings and Board strategy days, as well as taking a lead role in developing strategies to improve the organisation. I am committed to maintaining my own professional development and in 2018 I was awarded a scholarship to undertake a course in Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors through the Australian Institute of Company Directors. The knowledge gained through this course has given me confidence in my abilities to discharge my legislative responsibilities as a Board Director. As Branch Patron for Gold Coast and Logan Branches I have been a regular attendee at local meetings, providing guidance and support. I also participated in the South East Queensland Branch Forum in 2019 which saw representatives from Redlands City, Brisbane South, Logan and Gold Coast branches gather to strengthen the branch network that is so important to the QJA. I have been secretary of QJA Gold Coast Branch since 2015 and continue to support the professional development of members by engaging guest speakers for branch meetings and workshops and securing Council funding grants. When not volunteering, or participating in QJA related matters, I spend my time enjoying the casual lifestyle of the Gold Coast with Douglas, my husband of 45 years, and my four grandchildren. Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
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Andrea Reynolds JP(Qual)
Candidate for Board Member
Andrea became a JP Qual in 2011, an occasion she did not take lightly. She first learned what it meant to be a JP when she immigrated from Wisconsin to Australia in 2001. Being only a Permanent Resident, she didn’t qualify to enroll in the JP Course. It took nearly six years of red tape before she could take her oath of Citizenship. During that time she moved from Rockhampton to Emerald and then to Yeppoon due to family commitments. From then, she had to wait another three years until she knew anyone long enough to be personal references for her JP application. Andrea became a member of the Rockhampton Branch of the QJA immediately upon taking her JP Oath and was an active volunteer at Yeppoon Central, Yeppoon Courthouse and within her own work environment. She moved to Townsville in 2014 to purchase and renovate her home with her now husband, Chris. Not knowing anyone in town, she looked to the JP community and workshops to forge a new network of friendships. Currently an active member of the Townsville Branch QJA, Andrea brings a wealth of knowledge and professionalism as a prospective Board Member having worked several years within the Townsville Magistrates Court and is currently an Administrator for a Townsville law firm. Andrea understands what it’s like to live in a small western township as well as a larger city in North Queensland. She has big plans to bring all members closer together via technology to share experiences and professional development opportunities. In her free time, Andrea is an avid runner and enjoys exploring the botanical gardens with her staffy named Guinness.
Brooke Batley JP(Qual)
Candidate for Board Member
Brooke is semi-retired whilst carrying out a full and active role in the community, he currently volunteers in five JPs in the Community signing centres as well as acting as a Trainer/Assessor for the QJA pre-appointment training courses for JPs & Cdecs, having been active in that capacity for approximately six years. Brooke is a JP (Qual) and has been a member of QJA for approximately eight years, he has held the position as the chair of the Logan Branch of QJA as well as other committee positions in five of those eight years. He has been instrumental (with Chris Lancaster) in re-writing and editing the resources for the “face to face” training in both the PowerPoint & Practical Activity component of that course. Brooke has also worked extensively with Chris Lancaster in the development of the training videos which are currently being used in both the preappointment training and across the broader community of the QJA branch network. He is also working on a series of Webinar presentations which covers witnessing procedures. Leaving school with a grade ten (intermediate certificate NSW) he has over the years studied and gained further education and qualification milestones. Senior Certificate 1983, BSZ Trainer/Assessor 2000, (subsequently upgraded to TAE LLN) Diploma IT (network engineering) 2002, Certificate III (Fire Suppression) 2006. Prior to retirement Brooke worked in the fire industry (maintenance) as an employee, manager and subsequently owner/ director this was both in Australia and overseas. In the latter two positions he was responsible for planning, scheduling and implementing maintenance procedures for fire protection systems through the built environment as well as mining and shipping. Training was also part of his responsibilities throughout this period.
Chris Lancaster OAM
Candidate for Board Member
Chris has been an accredited trainer and assessor for QJA for over eight years and a Justice of the Peace (Qualified) for ten years. He is the Chair of the QJA Maroochydore Branch and has been the Chair of the RTO Compliance Committee for QJA as well as chairing the Training & Professional Development Committee over the last two years. During this time Chris has written and produced seventeen Training videos to assist students and members in the execution of their duties. He is interested in increasing the benefits to members of QJA and ensuring that it maintains itself as a very professional and well organised organisation. Chris is also chairing the State Conference Organising Committee for the QJA State Conference to be held on the Sunshine Coast in late October. Chris has had considerable experience in business management having held both senior management and executive positions. He sees enormous potential for QJA to expand and improve its training opportunities; provide members with more service and opportunities; grow the membership substantially and lead the organisation into a very successful future. During his working life, Chris held positions as a Business Studies teacher and several leadership positions with Lifeline Queensland. It was for his work with Lifeline and the communities across the Sunshine Coast and Queensland that Chris was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2016. Chris holds two postgraduate degrees in Business and Professional Management and is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. He also is a teacher at Global Training Institute where he teaches Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management .He has lived in the same home on the Sunshine Coast for 28 years; married to Lyn and he has four grown up children and seven grandchildren.
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Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 3 • SPRING 2019
Fiori Cruz JP(Qual)
Candidate for Board Member
Fiori became a JP (Qual) in 2003 and has since provided extensive service in various capacities as a JP. In 2012, after 4 years of lobbying QJA and the Department of Justice for JP updates, Marian Vierveyzer conducted an information session in Warwick that marked the launch of QJA Warwick Branch which Fiori chaired until 2015. Unfortunately due to dwindling membership it folded. Fiori promised Marian at the Centenary Celebration that she will reactivate it and has since been enticing members of the community to become JPs. A retired Accountant and Events Organiser, 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, to name a few: Filipino-Australian Business, Industry and Communities Council of Queensland Inc (Management Committee); Southern Downs Refugee and Migrant Network, Inc (Management Committee); St Vincent the Paul, Warwick (President); St Mary’s Warwick Social Justice Group (Co-Coordinator); Southern Downs Regional Council (Community Services Advisory Committee Member); Association for Cultural and Social Harmony (Coordinator). Fiori has fulfilled these roles with high integrity and accountability particularly focusing on legal, financial and representational responsibilities. She staunchly maintains cultural sensitivity in all her dealings. Fiori is a marriage celebrant specialising in bi-cultural marriages and performs bi-lingual ceremonies on occasions. She is also fond of showcasing her cultural dance moves and flair in choreography when she performs with her Filipino dance ensemble. Fiori operates from a strong social justice, equity and equality framework. Her work has not been left unnoticed as reflected by awards and recognitions she has received at community and State levels, such as: Queensland Multicultural Service Award (2001, State); International Women’s Day Celebrating 100 Years of Women’s Achievement (2011, State) Filipino-Australian Achiever Award (2014).
Garth Stephens JP(Qual)
Candidate for Board Member
Garth is a current QJA Board member with the following responsibilities: Chair of Branch Leadership and Development Committee; Branch Patron for three QJA Branches and a contact group; Member of QJA Awards Committee; Member of other sub-committees. Garth was appointed as a JP in November 1977, upgrading to JP Qual. In 1997, and has been a member of QJA for over forty years. He is a member of Western Suburbs QJA Branch and is the current Chair of that Branch. Garth was a primary school principal for thirty-seven years and brings to the QJA Director position high level skills in management, strategic planning, financial management, communication, and interpersonal relationships. Garth also volunteers with Cancer Council Queensland in the following capacities: Cancer Connect Program, supporting men with Prostate Cancer; Donor Development Section; Assisting and participating in Research Programs. Volunteers at the Signing Centre at Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre. Garth’s vision for the QJA is to see the organization continue to grow and offer services to members through: Implementing the QJA Strategic Plan with an emphasis on member engagement in Branch activities, the local community, and the direction of the QJA; Ongoing member professional development through QJA member website programs, Branch education programs, Community courses and workshops; Encouraging a stronger QJA Branch presence in the community eg. providing speakers to local groups and schools, and providing signing centres at local festivals; Working closely with state and local council representatives to further the Vision and Mission of the QJA.
Graeme Moorhouse JP(Qual)
Candidate for Board Member
Graeme has been a Justice of the Peace in Queensland for almost 30 years and has been a member of the QJA for the same time. Graeme is an active member of the Redland City Branch of the QJA and regularly gives his time at Capalaba Central and Birkdale Shopping Centres on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. He has also been involved in the organising of two State Conferences held in the Redlands. Graeme was appointed as a Director of the QJA in February 2017 upon an application to fill a casual vacancy and in that time, has been involved in the organising of a Branch Leadership Forum and attended other branch meetings as their Board Sponsor. In addition Graeme was been involved in the Centennial Year Planning and the Centenary Conference Planning and was the Master of Ceremonies for the Conference. Graeme’s career achievements have been predominantly in the Information Technology field in the Banking, Insurance and Airline Industries culminating in being the Head of IT for two separate organisations, the last of which was working as an expatriate in Brunei Darussalam for just over four years and he was often called upon by the expatriate community as the only Australian Justice of the Peace in the country. After Brunei, Graeme moved to India where he became the Regional Director for a large United States based organisation marketing to airlines in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. Graeme moved back permanently to Australia at the end of 2004 and spent time as a full-time carer before undertaking education in Investigative Services which has led him into a new self-employed career investigating personal injury claims. Recently Graeme has become employed as a consultant at an Insurance company in creating procedures for investigations in the new regulatory environment implemented after the Banking Royal Commission. Graeme has a Master of Business Administration, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management and a Certificate III in Investigative Services as well as being a certified project manager. He is passionate about on-going education in his own life and brings that same passion to being an honorary justice and to the QJA, wanting to ensure that the membership has access to ongoing development to enable members to be the best JPs in the community.
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
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Jennifer Sanders JP(Qual)
Candidate for Board Member
Jennifer offers her skills, knowledge and experience for the role of QJA board member. A Justice of the Peace (Qual) since 2007, Jennifer is a Member Representative Director of LGIAsuper since 2018 and has been appointed to the ARTC (Inland rail) community consultative committee. Previously, Jennifer was appointed to the Regional Development Authority by the then Deputy Prime Minister, Warren Truss. Jennifer has held senior positions on a number of committees and won the State government inaugural “Women in local government bursary in 2009” along with the ‘excellence in local government leadership program’ scholarship 2014. Jennifer was chosen for the board roles due to her local community connections, relationships and communication channels as well as her knowledge of disciplines related to infrastructure, water use and land management. Jennifer was also President and Board Chair for a local community and welfare organisation. During that time, Jennifer’s passion for the organisation and the community along with her commitment and drive, saw the development of a skilled based board and a new strategic direction for the future. Jennifer’s background is in management and financial control of small business and was also an elected Councillor at Scenic Rim Regional Council from 2012 to 2016 and Chair of the Planning and Development Committee for the same period. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) majoring in Australian Studies, Graduate certificate in development processing, LGAQ Diploma of Local Government (Planning), is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and Diploma of Project Management, Superannuation Essentials and RG146 (superannuation regulations). Jennifer hopes to bring her diverse management and board knowledge along with her understanding of corporate governance, strategic planning, risk and financial management to the organisation.
Karl McKenzie JP(Qual)
Candidate for Board Member
Karl has been a QJA member since 2009. He is a retired soldier, living in Townsville, married 33 years with three children. Current Chair of the QJA Townsville Branch, QCAT JP Adjudicator, Qld Parole Board member, Chair of the Townsville Community Justice Group, Chair of Ryan College Indigenous Education Advisory committee, Chair of Wontulp Bi-Buya Indigenous College, and member of the Mundingburra Rotary Club. He believes in service to the community, and that he has something to offer the QJA Board that will continue to build on the work of previous Board members and keep the QJA moving forward, being true to the motto of being the ‘Pre-Eminent Association for Queensland JPs’.
Keith Sallaway JP(Qual)
Candidate for Board Member
Keith is self-employed and has been working as a Consultant since 2016, Keit h’ s areas of expertise in business are: Industrial Relations, Workplace Safety, Quality Assurance and Operations Management. Keith has twenty-five years of experience as a JP(QuaI) and has been active during that time in his local District of Oxley. Keith is familiar with general witnessing duties, certifying copies of documents, issuing summonses, search and arrest warrants, attending Police record of interviews. Keith completed an Associate Diploma in Business Management, graduating in September 1992. He worked part-time as a TAFE teacher, teaching Electrical Contracting subject at Gateway TAFE, Bracken Ridge TAFE and Ashmore TAFE from 1989 to 2016.Keith was elected as an Executive member of the Board of the National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) Queensland Chapter in 2013/2014. He is currently a Life Member of NECA. Keith was nominated by NECA in 2015 to sit on the Electrical Safety Office Education and Safety committee for a period of three years. Keith is a past P&C President and Treasurer of several State schools, namely Inala State Primary school, Graceville State Primary school, Indooroopilly State High school, during the period 1980 to 1992.In January/February 2017, Keith successfully completed the QJA online courses for Commissioner for Declarations – Advanced, and Justice of the Peace (Qualified) – Essentials. Keith was instrumental in developing the Queensland Contracting Industry Code, which was launched by the Queensland Government in 2000. Keith is currently Chairperson of the NECA National Awards Judging Panel. Keith is currently providing Technical advice to NECA members and he provides Training in several areas as requested. Keith resides in Durack with his wife Linda and their two pugs, Sherlock and Watson.
Nathan Milne JP(Qual)
Candidate for Board Member
Nathan is an Aviation and Security Specialist and Trainer for Qantas. Nathan has been in this role for 5 years and has completed several degrees in Aviation and Security. Nathan has been a Justice of the Peace for almost 5 years. Nathan has a lot of experience conducting various Justice of Peace duties and frequently volunteers his time after hours and at the local JP sign centres. Nathan has been mentoring new JP’s in his area of the Mackay/Whitsunday and passing on his knowledge and skills and supporting them beginnings of their duties. Nathan has had many years of management, finance and negotiation experience of key stake holders in his industry and believes his skills can be carried across and make into the role of QJA board of director. Nathan believes all JPs and Cdecs should be treated fairly and will make sure this always happens and regular training and support is maintained during his term. Nathan wants to focus on having more signing centres and to help out the community in rural area with signing centres. Nathan will do his best to encourage more of the younger generations to become JP’s so the up and coming generation has access to JPs and Cdecs. Nathan loves to connect with existing JPs and Cdecs and get feedback on how things can be improved and will take that feedback on board and make the necessary changes needed to improve the Queensland Justice Association. It’s how well you connect with the heart-beating people you’re trying to help and communicate your understanding back to them.
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Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19
PRESIDENT’S REPORT For the Annual General Meeting to be held on 26 October 2019
Fellow QJA members, The formal Directors’ Report and Financial Statements, contained within the Spring 2019 (September) edition of the QJA Journal (and published on the QJA website), summarise the achievements of the last financial year and address those matters we are required to disclose as a company governed by the Corporations Act 2001. This report contains some additional information about the operation of the business in 2018-19. Corporate Strategy QJA is a membership association for Queensland Justices of the Peace (JPs) and Commissioners for Declarations (Cdecs). Of approximately 85,000 registered JPs and Cdecs in Queensland, about 6,000 (7%) are current QJA members. The QJA Vision and Mission emphasise the organisation’s strong focus on quality and best practice:
Vision:
network of JPs & Cdecs who deliver a professional standard of services to their A communities
Mission: T o provide exceptional programs, services and products that enable our members to be highly competent and professional practitioners
The related strategies adopted by QJA are: •
Membership Enhancement – optimise member recruitment, retention, services and satisfaction
•
Training and Professional Development – enable QJA members to be best-practice JP practitioners
•
Member Accreditation – develop and deliver a program that recognises and rewards a demonstrated standard of professional practice by members
•
ranch Network Development – foster and enhance the role of the Branch Network in delivering the QJA B vision and mission to all parts of Queensland
•
arketing and Communication – improve community awareness of the QJA brand and the value of QJA M membership
Each program has a working group of directors with an assigned leader who regularly reports to the Board on initiatives undertaken and progress achieved. Twice a year (March and November), the company’s Board and executive undertake intensive strategic planning workshops to review the progress of the business in delivering on its vision and mission and to develop new and innovative strategies to improve business operations going forward. Financial management The annual budget process is a core function of the Board and we have a responsibility to ensure that we deliver a financial result which makes us sustainable in the long term and enables us to improve and expand our services to you, our Members, to the community, and to our Students. We must achieve this outcome by delivering financial results that acknowledge the challenges, provide for the needs and expectations of our Membership and plan for the future. Our budget for the 2018-2019 financial year (which included expenses associated with the Centennial Year Conference in November 2018) forecast a deficit of some (-$30,000) and your Board is very pleased to report that as a result of careful financial management through cost containment, delivering savings and increasing sales, the final result was a deficit of less than (-$3,500). The budget forecast for the year ahead is for a very moderate surplus. Fortunately, QJA has accumulated a healthy financial reserve and retained funds remain at approximately $400,000. Corporate Governance To complement the monthly meetings of the QJA Board of directors, several governance sub-committees have been established to give more detailed consideration and attention to crucial corporate governance aspects of the business. Each of these committees is chaired by a different director, assigned with the responsibility for facilitating the committee business:
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QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 PRESIDENT’S REPORT •
Board Governance
•
Business Risk Management
•
Finance and Audit
•
RTO Compliance
These committees meet at least quarterly and regularly report progress to the monthly Board meetings. Project groups Other working groups of directors have also been put in place to oversight various single-purpose or ongoing business projects. These project groups also meet at least quarterly and some meet monthly. The committees meet at least quarterly and regularly report progress to the Board meetings: •
Annual State Conference
•
Information Technology
•
QJA Journal
•
HR / OHS
Succession Planning The functions of the Board’s various business program work-groups, compliance committees and project workgroups allow all directors to have some detailed involvement across a broad cross-section of the company’s operations and to acquire experience in the responsibilities of group chairmanship. This is a crucial component of succession planning for the Board. Training business In addition to being a membership association business, QJA is also a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). As such, QJA is authorised to offer pre-appointment training courses for JPs and Cdecs throughout Queensland and is the largest provider of these courses. Details of the courses conducted in 2018-19 are contained in the Directors’ Report. Surplus funds generated by the training business are added to overall financial reserves for the company. Again in 2018-19, the revenue generated by pre-appointment training courses marginally exceeded membership fee revenue for QJA. Because the training business is now such a significant component of the whole company’s operations, there is a separate Board sub-committee (RTO Compliance Committee) dedicated to ensuring its probity and sustainability. In the early part of 2019, the training industry regulator (ASQA) renewed QJA’s licence as an RTO for another seven (7) years. The success of QJA’s training business is due in no small part to the high quality and committed involvement of our contracted trainers and assessors. QJA trainers and assessors are not only QJA members, they are experienced and well-informed JP practitioners. Students within the QJA training program are privileged to be tutored and advised by best-practice proven specialists in this calling. QJA’s trainers and assessors have also been involved in developing the unique training resources used within the company’s pre-appointment training program. The extent and quality of these resources is another point of differentiation that sets the QJA training course apart from its competitors. Annually, the QJA trainers and assessors are gathered together for a workshop dedicated to maintaining the currency and quality of the trainers’ competence / qualifications and the course resource materials. Professional Development To complement QJA’s pre-appointment training program resources, the organisation has developed and maintained an extensive range of Branch and Members resources designed specifically to facilitate the continuous professional development of members. These resources were further enhanced in 2018-19. For members, the now-available professional development resources (contained within a secure Member-only portal within the QJA website) include:
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Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 PRESIDENT’S REPORT •
Quizzes
•
Professional development courses (known as the Professional series)
•
Professional development role-play videos
For Branches, the resources (contained within a secure Branch-only portal within the QJA website) include: •
Frequently asked questions
•
Forms and Guides
•
PowerPoint presentations
•
Activity samples and quizzes
•
Workshop templates
•
Videos
•
Discussion forum
Member communication During 2018-19, the quarterly QJA Journal continued as the dominant vehicle for member communications. More than 80% of QJA members now receive their journal in an electronic format which allows recipients to access (via hyperlinks) enhanced features like video files and external webpage documents. Periodic electronic newsletters and email campaigns to members are also used to supplement the journal content. Annual Conferences Since the turn of the century, the package of programs and services QJA has offered to its members has included an annual professional development conference at different locations throughout the State. The 2018 conference (also the QJA centennial year celebration) was held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in November. As reported elsewhere, it was an outstanding success attracting more than 300 very satisfied delegates and partners. The 2019 State Conference (21st Century JPs – Family / Technology / Society) - to be held at the University of the Sunshine Coast Innovation Centre in late October - has a diverse and innovative program that promises to deliver something really special for attendees. Branch Network Arguably the company’s most valuable business asset, the network of 29 Branches and 10 Contact Groups (at locations dotted throughout the length and breadth of the State) provide almost every QJA member, no matter where they reside, with access to a team of knowledgeable local practitioners – each an integral part of the QJA family – to guide, sustain and strengthen the network of honorary justices in regional communities. From a strategic perspective, the Branch Network also gives the QJA brand, vision and values a hands-on penetration into communities and regions right across the State. To support the branch committees in performing this crucial role, the QJA Board has assigned each board member the role as Patron for a specific cluster of branches and contact groups. In this role, the patron is charged with the responsibility of interfacing regularly with regional committees and attending branch / group meetings and functions. The regional Branch Leadership Forum program – commenced in 2019 - was reactivated in 2019 after being suspended for logistical reasons in 2018. Feedback from this year’s attendees again confirmed the value of this program in building constructive and rewarding relationships between individual branch committees and head office / the board / neighbouring branch committees. The program which will be continued and enhanced into the future. Awards To recognise and reward significant achievements, QJA has established a range of awards as detailed hereunder: •
Honorary Life Membership (to recognise exemplary service to the company)
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QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 PRESIDENT’S REPORT •
QJA Member of the Year
•
QJA Branch of the Year
•
QJA Community Engagement initiative of the Year
•
QJA Emerging Leader (for the first time in 2019)
•
QJA membership milestone awards (to recognise the attainment of significant membership periods)
Award recipients for 2018-19 in each of the first five (5) categories will be announced and presented at the Gala Dinner following the State Conference on 26 October 2019. Membership milestone awards are distributed periodically throughout the year. External Relationships To effectively operate both the membership association and the training components of the business, it is crucial for QJA to have positive and constructive working relationships with relevant external agencies. In 2018-10, constructive interactions were conducted with the following agencies / individuals: •
The Chief Justice of Queensland (also QJA patron)
•
The State Attorney-General and Shadow Attorney-General
•
The Registrar and Manager of the Justice of the Peace Branch, Department of Justice
•
The Australasian Council of Justices’ Associations (QJA director Keith Revell is the ACJA Vice-president)
State Office At this stage, the company’s head office remains located at 751 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba. Our current lease expires in October 2020 and we do not intend to renew it. During the next 12 months we will explore suitable alternative locations for the office when we leave this address. All the office work for the business (both the member association and training organisation parts) is undertaken by the four full-time employees led by Business Manager and Registrar, Wendy La Macchia. Work continues to improve the office systems and procedures (so as to enhance the services provided to members, Branches and students). Other than this ongoing development, there were no significant changes in 2018-19. Summary Although we incurred a small operating financial deficit in 2018-19, the organisation remains in a strong financial position. In addition to the almost $400,000 of financial reserves reported in this year’s audited financial statements, we estimate a further $85,000 is held within the retained funds of the 29 QJA Branches across the State. Although there was a small decline in membership numbers, overall membership remains in the vicinity of 6,000. The objective of QJA continues to be to support and facilitate the aspirations of these members to be the most accomplished Justice of the Peace or Commissioner for Declarations they can be. During the year, the organisation’s programs, products and services continued to be enhanced in line with this goal. For what has been achieved in 2018-19, thanks and credit goes to the hardworking State Office staff and the QJA directors (who have given so generously of their time and energy, without remuneration, for the privilege of being involved in the governance of this historic association).
John Carpendale President and Chairman of the Board Queensland Justices Association
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Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19
DIRECTORS’ REPORT for the Year Ended 30 June 2018 Your directors present this report together with the financial statements of the company for the financial year ended 30 June 2019.
Directors The names of the directors in office at any time during or since the end of the year are: John Carpendale JP(Qual)
President and Chairman of the Board
Marian Vierveyzer JP(Qual)
Vice President
Until 31 December 2018
Graeme Moorhouse JP(Qual)
Board Member Vice President
Until 31 December 2018 From 1 January 2019
Keith Revell JP(Qual)
Board Member
Carmelo Pasquale JP(Qual)
Board Member
Garth Stephens JP(Qual)
Board Member
Bronwyn McEntee JP(Qual)
Board Member
Chris Lancaster JP(Qual)
Board Member
Glenyce Hull JP(Qual)
Board Member
Joan Kennedy JP(Qual)
Board Member
Bruce Birtwell JP(Qual)
Board Member
From 1 January 2019
Directors have been in office since the start of the financial year to the date of this report unless otherwise stated.
Company Secretary The following person held the position of company secretary at the end of the financial year: Wendy La Macchia Wendy has worked for Queensland Justices Association performing the functions of Business Manager, Registrar and Company Secretary since 28th July 2014.
Principal Activities Queensland Justices Association (QJA) is the peak industry body that represents Justices of the Peace and Commissioners for Declarations throughout Queensland, Australia. It is the largest organisation supporting Honorary Justices in Australia, a major representative body in its field and is a Queensland representative on the Australasian Council of Justices’ Associations. Principal activities include providing members with a resource-rich member-only website, regular electronic newsletters, priority bulletins, a quarterly QJA Journal and professional development workshops to enhance the skills and professionalism of our members. In addition, as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), QJA is licenced to deliver the accredited courses required for appointment as a Justice of the Peace (Qualified) and Commissioner for Declarations. With a membership base of about 6,000, QJA also provides training, information and resources to its members through a network of 29 Branches and 9 Contact Groups.
Operating Results The deficit of the company for the financial year amounted to $3,450 The consequence of careful costs containment, the 2018-19 deficit is somewhat less than the amount forecast at the 2018 Annual General Meeting ($31,000). Net Assets (retained funds) continue to approximate $400,000.
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
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QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 DIRECTORS’ REPORT
Review of Operations Review In of theOperations opinion of directors, the company's operations during the year performed as expected. A review of the
company’s operations during the financial year, andthe theyear results of thoseas operations, follows: In the opinion of directors, the company’s operations during performed expected.isAas review of the company’s operations during the financial year, and the results of those operations, is as follows: Membership Membership QJA oversees the operation of a network of 29 branches 9 contact groups 30 June These QJA oversees the operation of a network of 29 branches and 9 and contact groups as at as 30 at June 2019.2019. These branches and and contact groups provide ongoing support forneeds JPs toonmanage their needs on a local basis. contact branches groups provide ongoing support for JPs to manage their a local basis.
The totalThe membership number number as at 30as June 2019 was 5,984, composition being: being: total membership at 30 June 2019 wasthe 5,984, the composition
BY JP CATEGORY 6000 4000
4132
2000 0
JP (Qual)
1134
127
7
1
454
129
Cdec
JP Cdec)
JP (Mag Ct)
JP Solicitor
Student
Unknown
BY MEMBERSHIP TYPE 6000
5188
4000 2000 0
Regular
19
182
79
5
Corporate
Joint
Life Subs
Hon Life
511 Associate
In comparison, the total membership number at 30 June 2018 was 6,323. As the traditional QJA membership In comparison, theyear totalby membership numbernumbers at 30 June 6,323.Attracting As the traditional QJA the membership base ages year, membership are 2018 slowlywas declining. and retaining younger base ages year by cohort year, membership numbers are slowly declining. Attracting and retaining the younger cohort of prospective of prospective members continues to be a major challenge and focus for the QJA board of directors. members continues to be a major challenge and focus for the QJA board of directors. QJA supports the “JPs in the Community” program managed by the Department of Justice and AttorneyQJA supports the “JPs in the Community” program managed by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, JP Branch. General, JP Branch. QJA Branches have been involved in establishing and coordinating a number of QJA Branches been involved in establishing and coordinating a number of signing in local shopping centres, signing have facilities in local shopping centres, libraries, community organisations, andfacilities courthouses throughout libraries,the community organisations, and courthouses throughout the State. The public signing facility at State Office State. The public signing facility at QJA State Office continues to be well attended with a regularQJA 5 day continues to be well attended with a regular 5 day volunteer roster in place. volunteer roster in place. The provision of QJA-branded Merchandise continues to be an integral part of the business as new Members and Students The provision of QJA-branded Merchandise continues to be an integral part of the business as new acquire the essential tools of trade and new products are added to the range. On-site sale of merchandise at regional Members and Students acquire the essential tools of trade and new products are added to the range. Onworkshops, conferences and branch meetings is well received. site sale of merchandise at regional workshops, conferences and branch meetings is well received. Professional Development Professional During the year, regularDevelopment updates and improvements were made to the main public QJA website. Updates have also been applied During to the members’ site with the release of the revisedwere Professional Series online courses – available at no the year, regular updates and improvements made to the main publicrefresher QJA website. Updates charge for QJA members. have also been applied to the members’ site with the release of the revised Professional Series online To supplement existing (and extensive) portfolio of QJA training and professional development resources, a range of refresherthe courses – available at no charge for QJA members. additional role-play videos was produced in 2019. To supplement the existing (and extensive) portfolio of QJA training and professional development The quarterly QJAaJournal to all members in either hard-copy electronic format) continues to include content resources, range of(issued additional role-play videos was produced in or 2019. designed to satisfy the professional development needs of members. Periodic electronic newsletters are used to supplement The quarterly QJA Journal (issued to all members in either hard-copy or electronic format) continues to the Journal. include content designed to satisfy the professional development needs of members. Periodic electronic The 2018 QJA Centennial Year (together with an associated welcome function and conference dinner) was held newsletters are used to Conference supplement the Journal. in at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on 2nd -3rd November and it proved to be a very successful and wellThe 2018attracting QJA Centennial Conference (together with an associated welcome function and conference regarded event, over 300Year delegates and partners. nd rd dinner) was held in at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on 2 -3 November and it proved to During the Development workshops were organised bydelegates six Branches six workshops delivered to over be ayear, veryProfessional successful and well-regarded event, attracting over 300 and and partners. 190 members. It is pleasing to note that several Branches are now delivering activity-based workshops which provide a more hands-on experience for attendees.
6
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
During the year, Professional Development workshops were organised by six Branches and six workshops QJA are ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 delivered to over 190 members. It is pleasing to note that several Branches now delivering activity-based workshops which provide a more hands-on experience for attendees. DIRECTORS’ REPORT Training Training In addition to being a membership association, QJA is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). The In addition to being a membership QJA is aQuality Registered Training Organisation (RTO). The national regulator of national regulator of RTOs isassociation, the Australian Skills Authority (ASQA). RTOs is the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). Under the provisions of the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners for Declarations Act 1991, persons Under aspiring the provisions the Justices of the Peace andorCommissioners for Declarations Declarations are Act required 1991, persons aspiring to hold to holdofoffice as a Justice of the Peace Commissioner for to office as a Justice of the Peace or Commissioner for Declarations are required to satisfactorily complete course satisfactorily complete a course of study (if such a course is approved by the Minister for Justice). Ata30 June of study (if such2019, a course is approved by the Minister for Justice). At in 30Community June 2019,Justice the approved course was 10276NAT the approved course was 10276NAT – Course Services (Commissioner for – Course in th Community Justice Services (Commissioner for Declarations) (Justice of the Peace [Qualified]) is accredited to JuneQJA 2019, Declarations) (Justice of the Peace [Qualified]) which QJA is accredited to deliver. As at 30which th deliver.seven As at 30 2019, seven othertoRTOs otherJune RTOs were licenced deliverwere this licenced course. to deliver this course.
From 1From October 2019,2019, course 10276NAT will will be be divided into separate Commissioner for for Declarations 1 October course 10276NAT divided into separatecourses coursesfor for (a) (a) Commissioner (10793NAT) and (b) Justice of the Peace (Qualified) (10794NAT). The overall course content will remain unchanged and the Declarations (10793NAT) and (b) Justice of the Peace (Qualified) (10794NAT). The overall course content impact will on QJA operations to implement this change will be marginal. remain unchanged and the impact on QJA operations to implement this change will be marginal. In 2018-2019, pre-appointment training for new JPs and Cdecs continued to be a core component of QJA business with 847 In 2018-2019, pre-appointment training for new JPs and Cdecs continued to be a core component of QJA students enrolled. The categories were: business with 847 students enrolled. The categories were:
STUDENTS - PRE-APPOINTMENT TRAINING
500 400
404
300 200
209
202
100 0
32 JP (Qual) classroom
JP (Qual) online
Cdec classroom
0 Cdec online
JP upgrade
Eleven of the students attended courses at their workplace. the students attended atare their workplace. SurplusEleven funds of generated by the trainingcourses business added to overall financial reserves for the company. The Director responsibility Training together withare theadded Immediate Pastfinancial President (who continued in the role of Chief Surpluswith funds generated for by the training business to overall reserves for the company. Executive of the RTO) are supported by the RTO Compliance Committee, the QJA Registrar and the Training Program The Director with responsibility for Training together with the Immediate Past President (who continued in the Coordinator to oversee the RTO aspects of company operations. role of Chief Executive of the RTO) are supported by the RTO Compliance Committee, the QJA Registrar and the Changes Training Program Coordinator to oversee the RTO aspects of company operations. Significant in State of Affairs No significant changes in the company’s state affairs occurred during the financial year. Significant Changes in State ofofAffairs No significant changes in the company’s state of affairs occurred during the financial year. Post Balance Date Events
No matters circumstances arisen in the interval between the end of the financial year and the date of this report which PostorBalance Datehave Events has significantly affected, or may significantly affect, the operations of the company, the results of those operations, or the matters or company circumstances have arisen in the years. interval between the end of the financial year and the date of state ofNo affairs of the in subsequent financial this report which has significantly affected, or may significantly affect, the operations of the company, the of those operations, or the state of affairs of the company in subsequent financial years. Likelyresults Developments and Future Results The estimated of QJA fundsand held Future in trust by QJA Branches has been disclosed in note 1(m) to the 2018-19 financial Likely value Developments Results statements. Directors consider that this disclosure is warranted on the basis of the materiality of its value. For future years, The estimated value of QJA funds held in trust by QJA Branches has been disclosed in note 1(m) to the consistent with the provisions of the company’s Constitution, we anticipate that it will be our fiduciary responsibility to incorporate 2018-19 financial statements. Directors consider that this disclosure is warranted on the basis of the more elements of the Branches’ finances within the overall company’s financial statements reported to members. materiality of its value. For future years, consistent with the provisions of the company’s Constitution, we anticipate that it will be our fiduciary responsibility to incorporate more elements of the Branches’ finances Environmental Issues within the overall company’s financial statements reported to members. The company’s operations are not regulated by any significant environmental regulation under a law of the Commonwealth or of a state or territory.
Share Options No options over issued shares or interests in the company were granted during or since the end of the financial year and there were no options outstanding at the date of this report.
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
7
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 Meetings of Directors During the financial year, 11 meetings of directors were held. Attendances by each director were: Directors
Number eligible to attend
John Carpendale JP(Qual)
11
Number attended 11
Marian Vierveyzer JP(Qual)
5
3
Graeme Moorhouse JP(Qual)
11
10
Keith Revell JP(Qual)
11
9
Carmelo Pasquale JP(Qual)
11
11
Garth Stephens JP(Qual)
11
10
Bronwyn McEntee JP(Qual)
11
11
Chris Lancaster JP(Qual)
11
10
Glenyce Hull JP(Qual)
11
9
Joan Kennedy JP(Qual)
11
10
Bruce Birtwell JP(Qual)
6
6
Indemnification and Insurance of Directors and Officers To safeguard its office bearers, QJA provides Directors and Officers insurance. In addition, QJA has made available a Deed of Indemnity and Access for each of the Directors and the Company Secretary. No indemnities have been given nor insurance premiums paid during or since the end of the financial year for any person who is or has been a Director or Officer of the company, that are prohibited by the Corporations Act 2001.
Proceedings on Behalf of the Company No application has been made and no proceedings have been brought or intervened in, on behalf of the company under section 237 of the Corporations Act 2001.
Auditor’s Independence Declaration The Directors received the independence declaration from QJA’s auditor. The independence declaration forms part of the Directors’ Report for the year ended 30 June 2019 and is located on the page following the Directors’ Report. Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors. Dated this 28th August, 2019
_____________________________ _____________________________ John Carpendale President and Chairman of the Board
8
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
Bronwyn McEntee Director and Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19
AUDITOR’S INDEPENDENCE DECLARATION UNDER S 307C OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 TO THE DIRECTORS OF QUEENSLAND JUSTICES ASSOCIATION ABN 41 009 666 559 In accordance with section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001, I am pleased to provide the following declaration of independence to the directors of Queensland Justices Association As the lead audit partner for the audit of the financial report of Queensland Justices Association for the year ended 30 June 2019, I declare that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, there have been no contraventions of: i.
the auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 in relation to the audit; and
ii.
any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit.
AH Jackson & Co
Elias Manicaros Fortitude Valley, QLD 28 August 2019
Document Ref: 546866_1
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
9
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19
INCOME STATEMENT for the year ended 30th June 2019 Note 2019 2 666,209
Revenue less Cost of Revenue Events Training Merchandise Total Gross Profit less Expenses Overhead Expenses Employment Expenses Operating Expenses Total Profit Attributed to Members of the Entity
3
2018 665,899
57,930 218,081 66,865 342,876 323,333
17,106 174,412 87,028 278,546 387,353
116,827 114,487 95,469 326,783
109,495 129,696 109,945 349,136
(3,450)
38,217
CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2019 Note 2019 CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Receipts from Customers 696,531 Payments to suppliers and employees (636,227) Net cash used in/generated from operating activities 11B 60,304 CASH FLOW FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Payment for property, plant & equipment Proceeds of disposal of plant & equipment Net cash used in investing activities Net increase (decrease) in cash held Cash at the beginning of the year Cash at the end of the year
10
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
11A
2018 638,326 (606,229) 32,097
(5,521) (5,521)
(3,688) (3,688)
54,783 519,915 574,698
28,409 491,506 519,915
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30 JUNE 2019 Note 2019
2018
ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Cash and Other Equivalents Trade and Other Receivables Prepayments Inventories TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS
11 4 5
574,698 3,352 3,863 28,696 610,609
519,915 20,339 4,330 35,707 580,291
NON-CURRENT ASSETS Property, Plant & Equipment TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS
6
13,678 13,678
14,014 14,014
624,287
594,305
202,964 27,307 230,271 394,016
177,535 19,304 196,839 397,466
EQUITY Retained Earnings
394,016
397,466
TOTAL EQUITY
394,016
397,466
TOTAL ASSETS CURRENT LIABILITIES Trade and Other Payables Employee Entitlements TOTAL LIABILTIES NET ASSETS
7
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2019 2019 Retained Profits $
2018
Retained Profits $
2017 Retained Profits $
Balance at 1 July Profit attributable to the entity
397,466
359,249
320,185
(3,450)
38,217
39,604
Balance at 30 June
394,016
397,466
359,789
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
11
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19
NOTE 1: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES The directors have prepared the financial statements on the basis that the company is a non-reporting entity because there are no users dependent on general purpose financial reports. This financial report is therefore a special purpose financial report that has been prepared in order to meet the requirements of the Corporations Act 2001. The financial report covers the economic entity of Queensland Justices Association. Queensland Justices Association is a company limited by guarantee. The Constitution of the company provides for the formation of branches that operate autonomously but do not constitute separate legal entities. The financial performance and position of these branches have not been incorporated into this financial report, except to the extent they engage in transactions with the company. The financial report has been prepared in accordance with the significant accounting policies disclosed below, which the directors have determined are appropriate to meet the needs of members. Such accounting policies are consistent with the previous period unless stated otherwise. The financial statements have been prepared on an accruals basis and are based on historical costs unless otherwise stated in the notes. The accounting policies that have been adopted in the preparation of this report are as follows: Accounting Policies a) Revenue Revenue from the sale of goods is recognised upon the delivery of goods to customers. Grant revenue is recognised in the income statement when the entity obtains control of the grant and it is probable that the economic benefits gained from the grant will flow to the entity and the amount of the grant can be measured reliably. If conditions are attached to the grant which must be satisfied before it is eligible to receive the contribution, the recognition of the grant as revenue will be deferred until those conditions are satisfied. When grant revenue is received whereby the entity incurs an obligation to deliver economic value directly back to the contributor, this is considered a reciprocal transaction and the grant revenue is recognised in the balance sheet as a liability until the service has been delivered to the contributor, otherwise the grant is recognised as income on receipt. Donations and bequests are recognised as revenue when received. Interest revenue is recognised using the effective interest rate method, which for floating rate financial assets is the rate inherent in the instrument. Revenue from the rendering of a service is recognised upon the delivery of the service to the customers. Members of the Association are Justices of Peace and Commissioners for Declarations who pay an annual subscription fee. Subscription fees paid in advance at year end are treated as current liabilities. All revenue is stated net of the amount of goods and services tax (GST). b) Inventories Inventories are measured at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Inventories acquired at no cost, or for nominal consideration are valued at the current replacement cost as at the date of acquisition. 12
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 c) Plant and Equipment Plant and equipment are measured on the cost basis less depreciation and impairment losses. The carrying amount of plant and equipment is reviewed annually by directors to ensure it is not more than the recoverable amount from these assets. The recoverable amount is assessed based on the expected net cash flows that will be received from the assets employment and subsequent disposal. The expected net cash flows have been discounted to their present values in determining recoverable amounts. Plant and equipment that have been contributed at no cost or for nominal cost are valued and recognised at the fair value of the asset at the date it is acquired. d) Depreciation The depreciable amounts of all fixed assets are depreciated on a diminishing balance basis over the asset’s useful life to the entity. It is estimated that the useful life of all assets are five years. The assets’ residual values and useful lives are reviewed, and adjusted if appropriate, at each balance sheet date. An asset’s carrying amount is written down immediately to its recoverable amount if the asset’s carrying amount is greater than its estimated recoverable amount. Assets are not depreciated until they are ready for use. Assets with a cost or written down value below $300 are fully depreciated. e) Leases The determination of whether an arrangement is or contains a lease is based on the substance of the arrangement. This requires an assessment of whether the fulfilment of the arrangement is dependent on the use of a specific asset or assets and the arrangement conveys a right to use the asset. Leases where the lessor retains substantially all the risks and benefits of ownership are classified as operating leases. Finance leases, which transfer to the Entity substantially all the risks and benefits incidental to ownership of the leased item, are capitalised at the inception of the lease at the fair value of the leased property or, if lower, at the present value of the minimum lease payments. Lease payments are apportioned between the finance charges and reduction of the lease liability so as to achieve a constant rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability. Finance charges are recognised as an expense in profit or loss. Capitalised leased assets are depreciated over the shorter of the estimated useful life of the asset and the lease term if there is no reasonable certainty that the Entity will obtain ownership by the end of the lease term. Operating lease payments are recognised as an expense in the Statement of profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Lease incentives are recognised in the Statement of profit or loss as an integral part of the total lease expense. f)
Financial assets and financial liabilities
Initial recognition and measurement Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the entity becomes a party to the contract. Classification and subsequent measurement Financial assets and financial liabilities are measured at amortised cost (using the effective interest rate method). Amortised cost is calculated as: i. ii. iii. iv.
the amount at which the financial asset or financial liability is measured at initial recognition; less principal repayments; plus, or minus the cumulative amortisation of the difference, if any, between the amount initially recognised and the maturity amount calculated using the effective interest method; and less any reduction for impairment. Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918 13
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 The effective interest method is used to allocate interest income or interest expense over the relevant period and is equivalent to the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash payments or receipts (including fees, transaction costs and other premiums or discounts) through the expected life (or when this cannot be reliably predicted, the contractual term) of the financial asset or financial liability to their net carrying amounts. Revisions to expected future net cash flows will necessitate an adjustment to the carrying value with a consequential recognition of an income or expense in profit or loss. Loans and receivables Receivables are recognised at amortised cost, less any provision for impairment. Financial liabilities Financial liabilities are subsequently measured at amortised cost. All current financial assets and financial liabilities, except for employee benefits (see note i), are measured at cost. Impairment At each reporting date, the entity assesses whether there is objective evidence that a financial asset or financial liability has been impaired. Impairment losses are recognised in the Income Statement. g) Derecognition Gains and losses on disposals are determined by comparing proceeds with the carrying amount. These gains or losses are included in the income statement. Financial assets are derecognised where the contractual rights to receipt of cash flows expires or the asset is transferred to another party whereby the entity no longer has any significant continuing involvement in the risks and benefits associated with the asset. Financial liabilities are derecognised where the related obligations are discharged, cancelled or expired. The difference between the carrying value of the financial liability, which is extinguished or transferred to another party and the fair value of consideration paid, including the transfer of non-cash assets or liabilities assumed, is recognised in profit or loss. h) Impairment of Assets At each reporting date, the entity reviews the carrying values of its tangible and intangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have been impaired. If such an indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset, being the higher of the asset’s fair value less costs to sell and value in use, is compared to the asset’s carrying value. Any excess of the asset’s carrying value over its recoverable amount is expensed to the Income Statement. i)
Employee Benefits
Provision is made for the entity’s liability for employee benefits arising from services rendered by employees to Balance Sheet date. Employee benefits expected to be settled within one year together with benefits arising from wages, salaries and annual leave which may be settled after one year, have been measured at the amounts expected to be paid when the liability is settled plus related on costs. Other employee benefits payable later than one year have been measured at the net present value. Contributions are made by the entity to an employee superannuation fund and are charged as expenses when incurred. j)
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, deposits held at-call with banks, other short-term highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. k) Goods and Services Tax (GST) 14
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the amount of GST, except where the amount of GST incurred is not recoverable from the Australian Taxation Office. In these circumstances, the GST is recognised as part of the cost of acquisition of the asset or as part of an item of expense. Receivables and payables in the Balance Sheet are shown inclusive of GST. The company follows the cash system of accounting for lodgement of BAS since GST receivable on Future subscriptions should be paid when collected and not when due. Cash flows are presented in the Cash Flow Statement on a gross basis, except for the GST component of investing and financing activities, which are disclosed as operating cash flows. l)
Income Tax
No provision for income tax has been raised, as the entity is exempt from income tax under Div. 50 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. m) Branches of QJA The Constitution of the entity provides for the existence of branches, which have been established throughout Queensland and operate in accordance with By-Laws established by the entity. These branches are not separate legal entities and are considered to be part of the Queensland Justices Association. Branches exist to provide representation to members within a specified area. Branches appoint their own office bearers, conduct their own limited operations with relative autonomy and hold no assets except to maintain any surplus funds in a specified bank account, which is not currently under the control of the entity. Branches are required to report their activities to the entity annually in accordance with the By-Laws. Historically, the reporting of branches has not been included in the income statement of the entity nor has their combined cash balances at year end been included in the balance sheet. Due to their increased operations and accumulation of cash held, the entity has resolved to consolidate the operations of branches into financial report of the entity. Until such time as systems and processes are implemented for this to occur for disclosure purposes, the total value of cash at bank held by the 29 branches as at 30 June 2019 that has not been included in the entity’s balance sheet is approximately $87,004 n) Comparatives The entity has reclassified the reporting of employment expenses in the income statement to distinguish between direct and indirect employment expenses. In prior years, all employment expenses were reported as one amount in the income statement. Direct employment expenses comprise employment expenses directly attributed to the assembly of inventory items and are reported as part of the cost of events, training and merchandise, respectively. Indirect employment expenses relate to all other employment expenses. The reclassification is intended to provide members with more reliable and relevant information concerning the employment costs and cost of goods sold. In order to maintain comparability with the prior year operating results, affected items in the income statement have been reclassified and restated. This reclassification does not result from a change in an accounting policy or a correction of an error. o) New Accounting Standards and Interpretations – Issued but not yet Effective The new lease standard (AASB 16) will become effective for the Entity from the annual reporting period commencing 1 July 2019. Although early adoption is permitted, the Group has not early adopted this standard or any other standards, interpretations or amendments that have been issued, but are not yet effective. The Entity intends to apply the exemptions available under AASB 16 for short term leases and low value underlying assets. In addition, the Entity intends to apply AASB 16 using the modified retrospective approach under paragraph C8(b)(ii), along with practical expedients permitted by the standard. The modified retrospective approach does not require the restatement of comparative financial information. Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918 15
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19
All leases will be recognised on the balance sheet at inception of the lease, with the exception of short-term leases and leases of low-value assets. The lessee must recognise a right-of-use asset and a corresponding lease liability in the amount of the present value of the remaining lease payments. Subsequent to this initial measurement, the rightof-use asset is depreciated over the lease term, whilst lease payments are separated into a principal and interest portion to wind up the lease liability over the lease term. Upon initial application of AASB 16 on 1 July 2019, the Entity estimates that the modified retrospective approach will result in a right-of-use asset of $56,727 and a lease liability of $56,727 measured, at the present value of the remaining lease payments using each lessee’s respective incremental borrowing rate. The Association also estimates that there will be an impact to retained earnings of $0.
16
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19
NOTE 2: REVENUE
OPERATING ACTIVITIES Members’ Subscriptions Sales of Merchandise Training Fees Received Event Revenue Sundry Income Fundraising Interest Income Grant Income
2019 $
2018 $
273,293 67,457 280,048 35,167 314 0 9,930 0 666,209
266,391 82,952 289,521 16,977 317 0 9,741 0 665,899
NOTE 3: PROFIT FOR THE YEAR
Profit Before Income Tax
2019 $
2018 $
(3,450)
38,217
this is after provision for the following: Depreciation 5,411
7,852
NOTE 4: TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES 2019 $
2018 $
Accounts Receivables Deposits Paid
990 2,362
1253 19,086
Total Current trade and other receivables
3,352
20,339
Other Prepayments
2019 $ 3,863
2018 $ 4,330
Total Prepayments
3,863
4,330
NOTE 5: PREPAYMENTS
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918 17
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19
NOTE 6: PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT 2019 $
PLANT & EQUIPMENT Office Equipment at cost less Accumulated Depreciation
2018 $ 10,535) (7,517)
10,172) (6,276)
Computer Equipment at cost less Accumulated Depreciation
11,637) (10,108)
22,990) (20,697)
Coresoft Software less Accumulated Depreciation
23,322) (19,323)
23,322) (17,323)
7,154) (2,022) 13,678
2,305) (479) 14,014
Training Library less Accumulated Depreciation Total Property Plant & Equipment (a) Movements in carrying amounts:
Movements in carrying amounts for each class of property, plant and equipment between the beginning and end of the current financial year. Opening Carrying Amount Office Equipment Computer Equipment Coresoft Software Training Library Total
3,896 2,293 5,999 1,826 14,014
Depreciation Expense & Disposal
Additions 362 0 0 5158 5,520
Carrying Amount at 30 June 2019
1,240 764 2000 1852 5,856
3,018 1,529 3,999 5,132 13,678
Disposal relates to assets from earlier years no longer in existence based on physical existence testing of all assets held by the Association as at 30 June 2019. NOTE 7: TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES
Accounts Payable Subscriptions in Advance GST Payable PAYG Withholding Accrued Expenses Superannuation Payable Provision for Grant Monies Sundry Creditors and Accruals
18
Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918
2019 $
18,245 142,539 13,151 3,066 13,121 8,100 0 4,742 202,964
2018 $
22,231 120,567 6,590 3,192 15,631 5,469 0 3,855 177,535
QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19
NOTE 8: EVENTS AFTER THE BALANCE SHEET DATE NOTE 8: EVENTS AFTER THE BALANCE SHEET DATE There were no significant events which occurred after the balance sheet date. There were no significant events which occurred after the balance sheet date. NOTE 9: COMPANY STATUS NOTE 9: COMPANY STATUS The Company does not have a share capital as it is a company limited by guarantee. The liability of the members is The Company not have a share capitalbeing as it wound is a company byJune guarantee. Thenumber liabilityofofmembers the members limited to $1 indoes the event of the Company up. At limited the 30th 2019, the wereis limited to $1 in the event of the Company being wound up. At the 30th June 2019, the number of members were 5,984 (2018 = 6,323 members) 5,984 (2018 = 6,323 members) NOTE 10: RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURE NOTE 10: RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURE The Directors of the Company during the year and payments made were: The Directors of the Company during the year and payments made were: MV & MV & Travel Travel 1,096 President: John Carpendale 1,096 President: John Carpendale Vice President: Graeme Moorhouse Graeme Moorhouse Vice President: Marian Vice President: Marian Vierveyzer Vierveyzer Director: Bruce Birtwell Director: Glenyce Bruce Birtwell Director: Hull Director: Glenyce Hull Director: Joan Kennedy Director: Joan Director: Chris Kennedy Lancaster Director: Chris Lancaster Director: Bronwyn McEntee Director: Bronwyn McEntee Director: Carmelo Pasquale Director: Carmelo Pasquale Director: Keith Revell Director: Keith Revell Director: Garth Stephens Director: Garth Stephens
556 556 123 123 259 259 832 832
Trainer Other Trainer Other 1,095 1,095 410 410
130 130
9,330 9,330
- 289 - 289
303 303 3,169 3,169
223 223 9,740 9,740
NOTE 11: CASH FLOW INFORMATION NOTE 11: CASH FLOW INFORMATION A A
Reconciliation of Cash Reconciliation Cash at Bank of Cash Cash Bank Pettyat Cash Petty Cash
B B
Profit\Loss before income tax Profit\Loss before income tax Non-cash flows in profit Non-cash flows in profit of Fixed Assets Depreciation Depreciation of Fixed Assets Decrease (increase) in Trade and Other Debtors Decrease and Other Debtors Decrease (increase) (increase) in in Trade Prepayments Decrease (increase) (increase) in in Prepayments Decrease Inventory Decrease (increase) in (Decrease)/Increase in Inventory Future Yr Subscriptions (Decrease)/Increase in FutureCreditors Yr Subscriptions (Decrease)/Increase in Trade and Accruals (Decrease)/Increase in Trade Creditors and Accruals (Decrease)/Increase in Employee Entitlements (Decrease)/Increase in in Fixed Employee Entitlements (Decrease)/Increase Assets (Decrease)/Increase in Fixed Assets
Net cash used/generated in operating activities Net cash used/generated in operating activities
1,159 1,159
total total 2,191 2,1911,096 1,096123123 259 259 9,874 9,87452652614,06914,069
2019 2019 $ $ 574,227 574,227 471 471 574,698 574,698
2018 2018 $ $ 519,716 519,716 199 199 519,915 519,915
(3,450) (3,450)
38,217 38,217
5,411 5,411 1,961 1,961
7,852 7,852 46,069 46,069
16,988 (16,468) 16,988 467 (16,468) 1,312 467 (20,207) 1,312 7,010 7,010 (20,207) 21,972 18,018 21,972 18,018 3,457 (2,182) 3,457 (2,182) 8,003 5,555 8,003 5,555 446 0 446 0 58343 (13,972) 58343 (13,972) 60,304 60,304
32,097 32,097
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NOTE 12: ENTITY DETAILS The registered office of the company is: Queensland Justices Association 751 Stanley Street WOOLLOONGABBA QLD 4102 The principal place of business is: Queensland Justices Association 751 Stanley Street WOOLLOONGABBA QLD 4102
NOTE 13: AUDITOR’S REMUNERATION
Remuneration of the auditor of the entity for auditing and reviewing the financial report
2019 $ 4,600
2018 $ 4,300
NOTE 14: FINANCIAL ASSETS AND LIABILITIES RISK EXPOSURE (a) Interest rate risk The company is not exposed to any significant interest rate risk. (b) Credit Risk The company is not exposed to any significant credit risk. (c) Liquidity Risk The company manages liquidity risk by maintaining adequate cash reserves by continuously monitoring actual and forecast cash flows.
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QUEENSLAND JUSTICES ASSOCIATION ABN: 41 009 666 559 DIRECTORS’ DECLARATION In accordance with a resolution of the directors of Queensland Justices Association, the directors declare that: 1.
2.
The financial statements and notes attached herein, are in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001 and: a.
Have determined that the company is not a reporting entity and that this special purpose financial report should be prepared in accordance with the accounting policies outlined in Note 1 to the financial statements.
b.
give a true and fair view of the financial position of the company as at 30th June 2019 and of its performance for the year ended on that date.
In the directors’ opinion there are reasonable grounds to believe that the company will be able to pay its debts as and when they become due and payable.
Dated this 28th August,2019
John Carpendale President
Bronwyn McEntee Director & Chair of Finance and Audit Committee
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QUEENSLAND JUSTICES ASSOCIATION ABN: 41 009 666 559 INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF QUEENSLAND JUSTICES ASSOCIATION Opinion We have audited the financial report of Queensland Justices Association (the entity), which comprises the balance sheet as at 30 June 2019, the income statement, the statement of changes in equity and the cash flow statement for the year then ended, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies, and the directors’ declaration. In our opinion, the accompanying financial report of Queensland Justices Association is in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001, including:
i. ii.
giving a true and fair view of the entity’s financial position as at 30 June 2019 and of its performance for the year then ended; and complying with Australian Accounting Standards to the extent described in Note 1 and the Corporations Regulations 2001.
Basis for Opinion We conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report section of our report. We are independent of the entity in accordance with the auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 and the ethical requirements of the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board’s APES 110: Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code) that are relevant to our audit of the financial report in Australia. We have also fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the Code. We confirm that the independence declaration required by the Corporations Act 2001, which has been given to the directors of Queensland Justices Association, would be in the same terms if given to the directors as at the time of this auditor’s report. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. Emphasis of Matter – Basis of Accounting We draw attention to Note 1 to the financial report, which describes the basis of accounting. The financial report has been prepared for the purpose of fulfilling the registered entity's financial reporting responsibilities under the Corporations Act 2001. As a result, the financial report may not be suitable for another purpose. Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter.
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QJA ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 Responsibilities of the Directors for the Financial Report The directors of the company are responsible for the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view and have determined that the basis of preparation described in Note 1 to the financial report is appropriate to meet the requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 and is appropriate to meet the needs of the members. The directors’ responsibility also includes such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of a financial report that gives a true and fair view and is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial report, the directors are responsible for assessing the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the entity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial report as a whole is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of this financial report. As part of an audit in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards, we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also: • Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control. • Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control. • Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the directors. • Conclude on the appropriateness of the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial report or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the entity to cease to continue as a going concern. • Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial report, including the disclosures, and whether the financial report represents the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation. • Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entity to express an opinion on the financial report. We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the entity audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit opinion. We communicate with the directors regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
AH Jackson & Co
Elias Manicaros Fortitude Valley, QLD 28 August 2019 Document Ref: 546867_1
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