PRESIDENT’S PAGE

For this issue, I’d like to talk about Advocacy. Advocate is one of the five strategic pillars (along with Educate, Inform, Connect and Govern) that QJA has adopted to articulate the essence of everything we do to achieve our vision of Excellence in JP Services.

Our advocacy undertakings are designed to achieve the best possible outcome for our members. The main targets for our advocacy initiatives and interactions are the relevant politicians (Attorney-General and Shadow Attorney-General) and bureaucrats (Justice Department people).

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

In the wake of the 2020 State Election, a new Attorney-General, Hon Shannon Fentiman MP was appointed and QJA was quick to formally offer our congratulations, issue an invitation for her to speak to the 2021 QJA Conference and seek an opportunity for a face-to-face meeting which duly took place in April this year.

At that meeting, we discussed the Attorney-General’s involvement in the May 2021 QJA Conference, explained the strategic initiatives being pursued by QJA to elevate the professionalism of JP/ Cdec practice (including the implementation of our Member Accreditation Program) and made representations on a couple of issues.

In particular, we highlighted what we saw as an inequity between the State’s treatment of applicants for a government-issued Blue Card and applicants for admission as a JP or Cdec.

While the standard Blue Card application fee is waived for those applicants who require the card solely for voluntary work purposes, applicants for admission as a JP or Cdec (all related work being voluntary) are required to pay the full application fee. Our submission to waive the JP/Cdec application fee for all applicants was not successful but, as the Attorney-General explained in her presentation to the recent QJA Conference, she will support a proposal to introduce fee concessions for applicants who are students or retired.

SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL

During the State Labor Government’s previous term of office, we established a good working relationship with the then Shadow Attorney-General, David Janetzki MP, and met with him on several occasions. In fact, we arranged for him to be a presenter at a break-out session at the 2018 QJA Centennial Conference. He showed a genuine interest in QJA and our business.

Going forward, opportunities will be taken to meet with the current Shadow Attorney-General, Tim Nicholls MP, to again build a sound working relationship, and to keep him informed about the important role QJA plays in enhancing the quality of JP/Cdec practice. .

CHIEF JUSTICE

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon Catherine Holmes AC is the QJA Patron. Annually, we meet with Her Honour to update her on the business initiatives we are pursuing, to seek her ongoing involvement and support in QJA activities (which she happily does for us) and to listen to her observations, counsel and suggestions.

QJA is extremely fortunate to have such a highly-regarded and influential figure as our Patron and passionate QJA advocate.

JP BRANCH, JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

Our most regular advocacy contact is with the Registrar and Manager of the JP Branch, Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Damien Mealey, with whom we meet quarterly to discuss matters of mutual interest and importance.